READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Academic Year 2021-2022

DISCUSSION FORUM 2

Kindly answer these questions briefly and concisely.

1. The Primary sources are those created simultaneously as the event, era, or
subject being researched. Since certain crucial circumstances are not
documented or included in publications, primary materials are vital in
tracking historical periods in the Philippines. These sources are essential for
historians because they provide insight into how people in those days
interpreted or internalized what they witnessed, their place or relevance in
history, and knowledge from the perspectives of historical witnesses. For
instance, there have been reports of undocumented occurrences under
martial law that were omitted or not included in books. The only access to
determine its authenticity is through footage, interviews, or other first-hand
material from people who witnessed the events. Other sources will be
dismissed in the absence of primary material.
2. We need to learn history from primary sources because it will connect us to
key historical events and provide us with a richer and deeper
understanding of history. Primary sources are valuable because they
frequently give crucial information that is not widely available. Because
they are the ones who witness an event, primary resources can at least
ensure the authenticity and credibility of the details. However, as students
or researchers, we must employ critical thinking and analysis abilities while
dealing with primary materials. Learning history from these sources will help
us know more naturally and orderly than reading history from textbooks.
Since textbooks have been modified and critiqued, they have become
more thorough and full of various information.
3. The advantages of primary sources are that you can be positive that the
content is original, that nothing has been modified, and that all bits of
information are intact because it is first-hand material. They are present at
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Academic Year 2021-2022

the moment of the event they are writing about and are in a better position
to know what indeed occurred. Next, the opportunity to gain knowledge,
skills, and analytical abilities is an advantage of having access to primary
sources. This will encourage people to conduct their research rather than
relying on information provided to them. In this regard, the disadvantage
of primary sources is that they might be inadequate or useless. Because
knowledge may not be complete in a single material, it is necessary to
assess and examine further. Also, because significant historical events
occurred a long time ago, there may be situations where the information is
inaudible or obscure owing to poor quality. Furthermore, these sources can
be subject to biases as they can only testify according to their point of view
and experience.