History 101

History is derived from the Greek word

ἱστορία (historia) which means
"inquiry” or knowledge acquired by
investigation“
a. it may refer to the very act of inquiring
b. it may also refer to the output of the act of
inquiring
Aristotle: “a systematic account of a set of natural
phenomena” (e.g. wars, eclipse, games, speeches)
The German word for history is “Geschichte”, which is
derived from the German verb “geschehen” which
means “to happen” “Geschichte” in short is “that
which happened”.

The Filipino term for history is “Kasaysayan” which is

derived from the word “saysay” which means that
which is relevant or meaningful.
HISTORICAL PAST: Subject matter of history

Note: The reconstruction of the total past of mankind,

although it is the goal of historians, is a goal
they know full well, is unattainable.

1. only a small part of the past was observed

2. only a small part of what was observed was
remembered and recorded
3. only a part of what was recorded survived
4. only a part of what survived has come to the
attention of the historian
Continuation:
5. only a part of what came to the attention of the
historian is credible
6. only a part of what is credible has been grasped
7. only a part of what has been grasped can be
expounded or narrated by the historian

ERGO: History can be told only from history-as-record;

and history as told (spoken or written history) is only
the historian’s expressed part of the understood part of
the credible part of the discovered part of history-as-
record. In short, HISTORY IS ALWAYS INCOMPLETE.
 Historical vs. Trivial
When is an event considered historical?

1. How long has it lasted? (durability)

2. Of what larger story it is a piece? (context)
3. How does it shed light on the past? How does it
help us understand the past? (means to the past)
4. How were people affected by it? (profundity)
5. How many were affected by it? (quantity)
6. What meaning did it have to people in the past?
In the present? What might it mean in the
future? (value, resonance, relevance)
 PRIMARY VS. SECONDARY SOURCES

Primary Source: testimony of an eyewitness, or of a

mechanical device, that is, of one who or that which was
present at the events of which he or it tells. A primary
source thus have been produced by a contemporary of the
event it narrates. (original)

Secondary Source: testimony of anyone who is not an

eyewitness – that is, of one who was not present at the event
of which he tells.
Sources of Historical Information:
1. Artifacts, relics, fossils, human remains
2. Biographies, memoirs, letters
3. News, magazines, documentaries
4. Government reports, diplomatic dispatches
proceedings, journals, minutes of meetings
5. Business and legal papers
6. Editorials, essays, speeches, pamphlets
7. Fiction, songs, poetries, paintings
8. Buildings, monuments, structures
9. Blogs, emails, e-files, webpages
Elements of History:

1. Narrative: (what, where, when, who and how) This

is the objective part of history, facts of history
2. Explanation: (Why did the event happen?) People
may vary on this part depending on their points of
view
3. Evaluation: What lessons can we get from the
historical narrative. It all depends on what we
desire and our predispositions in life
Types of History:
1. Political history is the narrative and analysis
of political events, ideas, movements, and
leaders.
2. Economic history refers to the systematic use
of economic theory and econometric
techniques to study economic history.
3. Quantitative History is an approach to
historical research that makes use of
quantitative, statistical and computer tools.
Types of History:
1. Diplomatic history is the study of the conduct
of international relations between states
2. History of Great man aims to explain history
by the impact of "Great men", or heroes: highly
influential individuals, either from personal
charisma, genius intellects, or great political
impact. (biography)
3. Social history deals with the story of social
institutions and organizations
4. Economic history focuses on the story of
economic institutions of a given country
history.
Types of History:
1. Cultural history looks at popular cultural
traditions and cultural interpretations of
historical experience.
2. Local History: the focus is a specific locality
like province, city or town.