INTRODUCTION

I. Meaning of History

History originally meant “the search for knowledge and truth – a searching to find out.” It is
defined as “any integrated narrative or description of past events or facts written in a spirit of critical
inquiry for the whole truth.” (Nevins, 1988)

It is a social science that deals with the study of the written records of past events, which is
chronologically arranged to give significance to the future.

From wikipedia, History originates from Greek word historia, meaning "inquiry, knowledge
acquired by investigation.” History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation
of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented.
Scholars who write about history are called historians. It is a field of research which uses a narrative to
examine and analyze the sequence of events, and it sometimes attempts to investigate objectively the
patterns of cause and effect that determine events.

In the early 5th century BC, a Greek Historian, Herodotus of Halicarnassus composed some of the
first “critical history” in the western tradition by writing the “truth” about Greek wars against the Persians.
In putting together, “The Histories”, Herodotus employed verifiable information using eyewitness
accounts, some official records of the state, and his own observations. To his admirers, he was the
“Father of History”. Ever since, Herodotus works became the foundations for the modern study of
history. Herodotus influences, along with other historical traditions in other parts of the world, have
generated many different interpretations of the nature of history which has evolved over the centuries
and are continuing to change.

II. Why we need to study History?

People live in the present. They plan for and worry about the future. However, given all the de -
mands that press in from living in the present and anticipating what is yet to come, a little bit of history,
may actually help us think and act ingeniously for our future. History should be studied because it
is essential to individuals and to society, and because it harbors beauty.

According to Dr. Jose Rizal, “In order to understand the destiny of a people, it is neces-
sary to open the book of its past.”

The reasons are:

1. History helps us understand people and societies

History offers a storehouse of information about how people and societies behave. It offers the
only extensive evidential base for the contemplation and analysis of how societies function, and people
need to have some sense of how societies function simply to manage their own lives.

2. History helps us understand change and how the society we live in came to be
Through history can we grasp how things change; only through history can we begin to compre -
hend the factors that cause change; and only through history can we understand what elements of an in-
stitution or a society persist despite change.
3. History contributes to moral understanding
History also provides a terrain for moral contemplation. Studying the stories of individuals and sit-
uations in the past allows a student of history to test his or her own moral sense. "History teaching by ex-
ample" is one phrase that describes this use of a study of the past—a study not only of certifiable heroes,
the great men and women of history who successfully worked through moral dilemmas, but also of more
ordinary people who provide lessons in courage, diligence, or constructive protest.

4. History provides identity

History also helps provide identity, and this is unquestionably one of the reasons all modern
nations encourage its teaching in some form. Historical data include evidence about how families, groups,
institutions and whole countries were formed and about how they have evolved while retaining unity.

5. Studying history is essential for good citizenship

History lays the foundation for genuine citizenship. It is essential use of the study of the past.
History provides data about the emergence of national institutions, problems, and values - it's the only
significant storehouse of such data available. It offers evidence also about how nations have interacted
with other societies, providing international and comparative perspectives essential for responsible
citizenship.