GE 02 (REVIEWER) SIGNIFICANCE OF HISTORY
INSTRUCTOR: BELLECA, FRAULEIN L.
LESSON 1: THE MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY
ETYMOLOGY OF HISTORY
The word "history" is derived from the Greek word "historia," which means "inquiry or
research/to know” (Oxford English Dictionary’s Philip Durkin). History is the act of seeking
knowledge, as well as the knowledge that results from inquiry.
This indicates that the term "history" refers to inquiries into or reports of historical events
that are presented chronologically.
DEFINITIONS OF HISTORY
 the straightforward acceptance of what has been published regarding a historical subject,
event, or figure
 a brief historical chronology of significant events,
 individuals, and dates
 regarding one unchanging fact, one specific viewpoint, or one collection of numbers and
statistics
 a timeline of events, historical analysis
 a pinnacle of chronological story telling since it gradually connects a variety of connected
historical and modern ideas and events to a bigger narrative.
HERODOTUS (Father of History)
- published his magnum opus: a long account of the Greco-Persian Wars that he called “The
Histories’
- made a systematic, thorough study of the past and explain the cause-and-effect of events
which made historical analysis an indispensable part of intellectual and political life.
- “History is a learning inquiry about the past of mankind”
OTHER DEFINITIONS OF HISTORY ACCORDING TO NOTABLE FIGURES
“History is a systematic account of a set of natural phenomena which are arranged in their
chronological order.” – Aristotle
“History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging. What has happened before
will perforce happened again” –George R.R Martin
“Before 1521 we could have been anything and everything not Filipino; after 1565 we can be nothing
but Filipino.” –Nick Joaquin
“We have glorious past. Now we must build a future worthy of that past.” –Ramon Magsaysay
ALLOWS YOU TO COMPREHEND MORE:
1. our world - gives people a clear picture of how the various aspects of society and even
society as a whole worked in the past so we understand how it came to work that way it
is now.
2. society and people – observe and understand how people and societies behaved.
3. Identity – provides us with a sense of identity.
4. Present day-issues – helps us understand present-day issues by asking deeper questions
as to why things are the way they are.
CLEAR LESSONS:
1. political intelligence – helps us in becoming better informed citizens which is a key
element in maintaining a democratic society.
2. teaches morals and values– looking at an individual past suffering and adverse
experiences can be a motivation to overcome trials.
3. builds better citizenship – people who understand the story of a nation will promote a
strong national identity.
4. learn from the past and notice warning signs– knowing what events led up to wars helps
us better influence our future.
5. professional growth – developing critical thinking skills, wise decision-making skills etc.
6. personal growth and appreciation– knowing the past can develop empathy to its victims
and understanding for groups of people.
HISTORIOGRAPHY
Refers to the study of history itself. Historiography analyses who is the history writer, the
motives of the writer, the sources of the writer, theories applied and other historical methods.
It also analyzes the context when the history is written.
LESSON 2: HISTORICAL SOURCES AND CRITICISM
Historical sources or sources of history are the set of objects, documents, testimonies and
representations that provide the historian with relevant information with respect to the
events that occurred in the past. It is the raw material of the historian’s work, obtained in
different ways and from different sources.
TWO KINDS OF SOURCES:
1. PRIMARY SOURCES are direct first hand evidences regarding an object, person or work
of art. These sources are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are
available in original format, microfilm, in digital format, or in published format.
2. SECONDARY SOURCES are materials that describe, discuss, interprets, comment, analyze,
evaluate, summarize and process the primary sources. These sources are one or more
steps removed from the event.
CLASSIFICATION OF PRIMARY SOURCES:
1. WRITTEN SOURCES - All those that depend on written language, such as treatises, literary
works, chronicles, documents, newspapers, inscriptions, etc.
2. UNWRITTEN SOURCES - Unwritten sources, such as monuments, paintings, utensils, ruins,
oral testimonies, human remains, etc.
Historical Criticism tries to examine historical sources, texts in particular to be used as
evidence in history. It has two important goals: First, to discover the original meaning of the
text in its primitive or historical context and its literal sense or sensus literalis historicus.
Second, to establish a reconstruction of the author and recipients of the texts (Ligan, et. al.,
2018).
TWO TYPES OF HISTORICAL CRITICISM:
1. INTERNAL CRITICISM - This criticism tries to investigate and test the credibility of the
author, the value of facts, and the influences prevalent at the time the historical sources
were made. For example, in examining the credibility of the author, it looks at his mental
processes and mental attitude.
2. EXTERNAL CRITICISM - It tests the authenticity of the historical sources. To determine the
authenticity of the historical sources it looks upon the date it was created, its provenance
or custody to determine its genuineness, and it determines the author’s handwriting,
signature or seal used.
LESSON 3: REPOSITORIES OF HISTORY, THEORIES IN HISTORY
A repository can be either a physical or digital location, depending on the recording format
and the project goals; in any case, the term refers to the long-term storage of permanently
valuable material.
TYPES OF REPOSITORIES:
1. Library – a collection of sources of information and similar resources, made accessible to
a defined community for reference or borrowing.
- Provides physical or digital access to material, and may be a physical building or
room, or a virtual space, or both.
2. Archive – an accumulation of historical records or the physical place they are located.
Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an
individual or organization’s lifetime and are kept to show the function of that person or
organization.
3. Museum – an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other objects
of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these
items available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary.
4. Historical Society (preservation society) – an organization dedicated to preserving,
collecting, researching, and interpreting historical information or items. Originally, these
societies were created as a way to help future generations understand their heritage.
5. Special Collections – are libraries or library units that house materials requiring specialized
security and user services. Materials housed in special collections can be in any format
(including rare books, manuscripts, photographs, archives, ephemera, and digital records),
and are generally characterized by their artifactual or monetary value, physical format,
uniqueness or rarity, and/or an institutional commitment to long-term preservation and
access.
THEORIES IN HISTORY:
1. CYCLICAL VIEW OF HISTORY –
Cyclical history is one of the five philosophies of history. Everything is born
raises to maturity followed by a decline and then ends in death and then reborn again,
a circular form. This circular theory is seen in: seasons, life, machinery, civilizations
and in culture.

2. LINEAR VIEW OF HISTORY –

This is a theory that life starts as creation and proceeds down a line to
judgement day. This is especially noticeable in Judo-Christian religion. Each event or
moment even though similar is different in some way. The events will never end the
same.

3. THE GREAT GOD VIEW OF HISTORY –

This was the Great God, or theological version of history which asserted
that divine beings directed human affairs together with the rest of the cosmos. Just
as the royal despots dominated the city states and their empires, so the will, passions,
plans and needs of the gods were the ultimate causes of events.
- Elaborated by the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Egyptians before it came down
to the Greeks and Romans. It was expounded in the Israelite scriptures whence it was
taken over and reshaped by the Christian and Mohammedan religions and their
states.

4. THE GREAT MAN VIEW OF HISTORY –

This theory suggests that dominant personalities determine the course of history.
Rulers, warriors, statesmen, are decisive forces in history and history is the record of
the deeds of great people.
The 'Great Man' idea of history incorporates at least three concepts: that history is made
by individuals; that those individuals are mostly men; and that they are to be regarded
as great – not just important but, apart from a few villains, admirable as well.