PHILIPPINE HISTORY

• What is History?
• Why do we study history?
What is History?
• Study of the events of the past, how and why they
happened, as well as what happened as a result.
• History is the story of the past. It is the story of people,
places and events.
Why do we need to study history?
“Those who are ignorant of the mistakes of the past are
doomed to repeat them.”

“Those who do not know history won’t be able to improve

the present”.
• Allows one to understand the past, which in turn allows to
understand the present.
• Allows one to make more sense of the current world.
• Provides one with insight into one’s culture of origin as
well as cultures with which one might be less familiar,
thereby increasing cross-cultural awareness and
understanding.
How can Historians find out about the past?

• Written record – Letters, diaries, newspapers,

books…
• Oral record – Stories, music, speeches…
• Visual record – Photographs, artwork, TV…
• Artifacts – Things left behind (buildings, clothing,
pottery…)
SOURCES
• When studying history, we use PRIMARY
SOURCES and SECONDARY SOURCES.

• So… what are they? What do you think

they are?
• What is a source?
• Why do we use sources?
Primary sources
• A primary source is a document or
physical object which was written or
created during the time under study.
These sources were present during an
experience or time period and offer an
inside view of a particular event.

Information from http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html

 Primary Sources

• Give examples of primary sources under each

heading

Written Visual Oral Artifact

Types of primary sources
• Some types of primary sources include:
• ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or
translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches,
manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film
footage, autobiographies, official records 
• CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels,
music, art 
• RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture,
clothing, buildings
 Written Visual Oral Artifacts

Diaries Paintings Interviews Tools

Letters Photos Speeches Bones
Census Jewellery
Government
Reports
Autobiography
Newspapers
Manuscript
 Secondary sources
• A secondary source interprets and analyzes
primary sources. These sources are one or
more steps removed from the event.
Secondary sources may have pictures,
quotes or graphics of primary sources in
them. Some types of secondary sources
include:
• PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles,
histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias 

Information from http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html

Can you think of other
examples of secondary sources
• Biography
• Movies
• TV or radio documentary
• Internet
• History books
• ( Many secondary sources are put together using many
different primary sources)
Examples of secondary sources
• A journal/magazine article which interprets
or reviews previous findings 
• A history textbook 
• A book about the effects of WWI 

Can you think of any

other secondary
sources?
Where do we find sources?

Libraries Archives Museums

How do historians judge the
reliability of sources?
Historians judge whether the source is:

a) Bias
b) Accurate
c) Prejudice
d) Exaggerated
e) Propaganda
f) Fact or opinion

• Explain the meaning of each of these.

a) Bias – This means that the writer may have a
strong , personal opinion about an event and tries to
show that their opinion is right.

b) Accurate – this means correct or exact.

c) Prejudice – is where writers have made up their

minds in advance and present only their own point
of view

d) Exaggerates –this is when a writer makes

something seem greater than it really is.

e) Propaganda – is where writers are trying to win the

reader over to their point of view using posters,
radio, tv and speeches
Example of Prejudice
Example of Propaganda
How do Historians put events in order?
• When historians find out information about the past, it is
important to get events in the right order.
• They usually use dates.
• This makes it easier for people to follow the story of what
happened.
• This is called chronological order.
Scientific Process for historians
If tested and proven multiple times,
Ask a question becomes an established theory

Either validated by peers or

Do background research
disproven

Form hypothesis Publish results for other scientists

to review

Test hypothesis (intensive research

that examines all data or conducts Confirm results and form
experiment) conclusion
Internal and External
Criticism
External Criticism
• External Criticism is the practice of verifying the
authenticity of evidence by examining its physical
characteristics; consistency with the historical
characteristics of the time when it was produced; and the
materials used for the evidence.
Internal Criticism
• Internal Criticism is the examination of truthfulness of
evidence. It looks at the content of the sources and
examines the circumstance of its production. It looks at
the truthfulness and factuality of the evidence by looking
at the author of the source, its context, the agenda behind
creation, the knowledge which informed it, and its
intended purpose.

• Without thorough criticism of historical evidences,

historical deceptions and lies will be highly probable.