Meaning and Relevance

of History, Basics of
Historiography
What is History?
 Defining History
 is the study of the beliefs and desires, practices and institution of human beings
Excerpts from Understanding History: A Primer Historical Method by Louis
Gottschalk (1950, New York; Knopf, p. 17)

The English word history is derived from the Greek noun istoix meaning learning. As
used by the Greek philosopher Aristotle history meant a systematic account of a set
of natural phenomena, whether or not a chronological factoring was a factor in
the account...In the course of time, however the equivalent Latin word of scientia
(English science) came to be used more of natural phenomena; and the word
history was reserved usually for accounts of phenomena (especially human affairs)
in chronological order.

By its most common definition, the word history now means, "the past of
mankind"...
 By its common definition, the word history now means
“the past of mankind”. Compare the German word for
history – Geschichte, which is derived from Geschehen,
meaning to happen. Geschichte is that which has
happened. The meaning of the word History is often
encountered in such overworked phrases as “all history
teaches” or “the lessons of history”. (Gottschalk, 1969)
 . The reconstruction of the total past of mankind, although it
is the goal of historians, thus becomes a goal they know full
well is unattainable.
 Historians are interested in all aspects of the past and seek
to piece together accurate pictures of what life was like in
days gone by.
 Historians are time detectives; they follow a process of
historical inquiry in order to better understand the past.
They are also curious and they investigate artifacts and want
to know more about such things.
HISTORIOGRAPHY

 historical writing is the facility to give meaning and impart

value to a particular group of people about their past
 modern historical writing does not only include examination
of documents but also the use of research methods from
related areas study such as archaeology and geography.
HISTORIOGRAPHY

Study of historian’s works over time in order to

understand the nature, philosophy and method of history
by analyzing:
Historian’s aims and points of view
Their approaches to and methods of history
Historical context in which they wrote and the influences
upon them
Value of their historical works
Only a part of what was observed in the past was remembered by those who observed it; only a
part of what was remembered was recorded; only a part of what was recorded has survived; only
a part of what has survived has come to the historians‟ attention; only a part of what has come to
their attention is credible; only a part of what is credible has been grasped; and only a part of
what has been grasped can be expounded or narrated by the historian… . Before the past is set
forth by the historian, it is likely to have gone through eight separate steps at each of which some
of it has been lost; and there is no guarantee that what remains is the most important, the largest,
the most valuable, the most representative, or the most enduring part. In other words the “object”
that the historian studies is not only incomplete, it is markedly variable as records are lost or
recovered
“Objectivity” and
“Subjectivity”

Subjective- inferior to objective knowledge, illusory, based

upon personal considerations, and hence either untrue or
biased.
To study objectively- the intention of acquiring detached and
truthful knowledge independent of one’s personal reactions- a
thing must be first an object; it must have an independent
existence outside of the human mind.
Sources

 What is a source?
-sources are artifacts that have been left by the past
- materials from which historians construct meanings
-historians has to use many materials that are not in books. These are
archaeological, epigraphical, or numismastical materials, he has to
depend largely on museums.
-where they are official records, he may have to search for them in archives,
courthouses, governmental libraries, etc.
-where they are private papers not available in official collections, he may
have to hunt among the papers of business houses, rooms of old houses,
the prized possessions of autograph collectors , the records of parish
churches, etc.
 “Artifacts as Sources of
History”

-Artifacts- objects, other than words, that the historian can study. But they are
never the happenings or the events themselves, but rather results of events. Such
as potsherd, coin, ruin, manuscript, book, portrait, stamp, piece of wreckage, strand
of hair, or other archaeological or anthropological remains
-Artifacts or documents, they are raw materials out of which history may be
written.
-Historical context can be given to them only if they can be placed in a human
setting
-Setback: infinity of other suppositions is possible. Without further evidence the
human context of these artifacts can never be recaptured with any degree of
certainty.
The Distinction between Primary and other
Original Sources
-written and oral sources are divided into two kinds: primary and secondary
-primary source- it the testimony of an eyewitness, or of a witness by any other of the
senses, or of a mechanical device – the one who/that which was present at the events of which
he or it tells (simply called an eyewitness)
-secondary source- is the testimony of anyone who is not an eyewitness-that is, of one who
was not present at the events of which he tells.
-A primary source must thus have been produced by a contemporary of the events it narrates.
It does not, however, need to be original in the legal sense of the word original –that is, the
very document (usually the first written draft) whose contents are the subject of discussion.
primary sources need not be original in either of these two
ways. They need be “original” only in the sense of underived
or first hand as to their testimony.
• Textbooks •ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
•Diaries
• magazine articles •speeches
• Histories •manuscripts
•letters
• Commentaries •Interviews
• encyclopedias •Poetry, music, art
•Clothing, pottery
• Internet 
-
DOCUMENT
-latin, docere (to teach)
-In history, used in several senses:
1.usedto mean written source of historical information as contrasted with oral
testimony or with artifacts, pictorial survivals, and archaeological remains.
2.Reserved for only official and state papers such as treaties, laws, grants, deeds,
etc.
3.Contained in the word “documentation”, which, as used by the historian among
others, signifies any process of proof based upon any kind source whether written
, oral, pictorial and archaeological.
-Document becomes synonymous with source, whether written or not, official or
not, primary or not.
PHILIPPINE
HISTORIOGRAPHY
COLONIAL HISTORIOGRAPHY
Spanish colonizers presented our history in two parts: a period of darkness or
backwardness before they arrived and a consequent period of advancement or
enlightenment when they came.
backward “barbaric” life ways
teach the natives of the “civilized lifestyle” which they said the Spaniards forgot to
impart including personal hygiene and public administration
NATIONALIST HISTORIOGRAPHY
highlights the role of the Filipino reformists and revolutionaries from 1872,
execution of the Gomburza priests,
 to the end of the Philippine Revolution as the focal point of the country’s nation-
building narrative.
TEODORO AGONCILLO
 (November 9, 1912 –
January 14, 1985) was a
prominent 20th-century
Filipino historian
 National Scientist of the
Philippines in 1985
 The History of the Filipino
People;
 Malolos: The Crisis of the
Republic;
 The Writings and Trials of
Bonifacio;
 Revolt of the Masses.
TEODORO AGONCILLO
 Philippine historians have assumed different ways
of interpreting its past indicated by two opposing
viewpoints - one that reflects the perspective of the
colonizer, and that of the colonized
 Hiswritingsveered away from emphasizing Spanish colonial period and
regarded events before 1872 as part of the country’s “lost history.”
RENATO CONSTANTINO
 “TheMiseducation of the Filipino”
 History is a means of liberation for the
Filipino People
 Constantino advanced the idea of a “people’s
history” – a study of the past that sought to
analyze society by searching out people’s
voices from colonial historical materials that
typically rendered Filipinos as decadent,
inept and vile
 authored The Philippines: A Past Revisited
(1975)
 Zeus Salazar who conceptualized
“Pantayong Pananaw” as an approach
to understanding the past from our
own cultural frame and language
 emphasized the value of our
Austronesian roots to defining
Filipino culture and encouraged other
scholars to conduct outstanding
historical researches in
REYNALDO ILETO
 "Pasyon and Revolution:
Popular Movements in the
Philippines, 1840-1910"
(1979)
 provided a fresh perspective
with a new view of the
revolution that concentrates on
the ordinary people rather than
the elites by gaining a deep
understanding of the spirit of
those people who resisted
colonial rule.
 using alternative folk songs and
prayers. His other works spurred
new interpretations of common to
American War and American
Colonozation

 Political Narratives
 favor narratives that deal with the
political aspects of nation-building
such as the legacies of political
leaders and establishment of
different government.
 The challenge for present-day
historians is to present a more
holistic history that goes beyond
politics by means of integrating
other aspects of nation-building
such as its economic and cultural
aspects.
 Colonial Histories in Historical
Narratives
 some social studies textbooks
misrepresent ancient Filipinos as
savages or barbarians by
portraying colonizers, especially
the Spaniards and American, as
liberators of the Filipinos from
cultural backwardness
 examine available historical
sources and to write about our past
by understanding the myths and
misconceptions that characterized
the Filipino culture for centuries
 Elite-centric Perspective in  Patriarchal Orientation in Historical
Historical Narratives Narratives
 highlight the heroism of men in different ways:
 historical narratives focus on the
leading revolts and liberation wars against
contributions of the elite in colonizers, championing the cause of
nation-building independence, and spearheading political and
economic development.
 Illustrados
 it is imperative for contemporary historians to
use gender-sensitive approaches in
understanding history to avoid typecasting
women as dependent, emotional, less important,
passive, submissive, and weak
 Emphasis on Lowland
Christianized Filipinos
 Non-Christians and highlanders
remain unrecognized in historical
narratives. Muslim Filipinos, in
particular, have been subjected to
negative characterization by
lowland Christians in published
works such as history books
 caused by the culture of mistrust
that developed between Christians
and Muslims during the colonial
periods.
Why Study History?

 An examination of the past can tell us a great deal

about how we came to be who we are

 looking at the past teaches us to see the world through

different eyes-appreciating the diversity of human
perceptions, beliefs and cultures

 we can draw insights from the ideas and realities that

have shaped the lives of men and women and the
society
REFERENCES

First published as “When Literature is History,” in Archipelago 5: A-47 (1978):

34-37. Published as “Literature as History,” in The Annals of the Philippine
Chinese Historical Association, 9th issue (October 1979): 1-7.
Agoncillo, T. A. (2003). History and Culture, Language and Literature: Selected
Essays of Teodoro A. Agoncillo B. R. Churchill (Ed.). University of Sto.
Tomas, Manila
Carino, Jennifer K. Constantino, Renato R. January11, 2001.
https://www.coursehero.com/file/p3eco5s/Renato-Constantinos-Towards-A-
Peoples-History-and-Ileto-Reynaldos-History-from/

SCHUMACHER, JOHN N. "Re-reading Philippine History: Constantino's "A

Past Revisited"." Philippine Studies 23, no. 4 (1975): 465-80. Accessed
January 14, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/42634894.
Torres, Jose Victor. Batis: Sources in Philippine History. Quezon City. C&E
Publishing House. 208
 What is history? How is your understanding of history
different from what is explained in this lesson?
 What does a historian do? As a student of history, what do
you think will be you duties?
 What role does history take in the study of Philippine
society, culture and identity?
UNIT I. CONTEXT ANALYSIS
CONTEXT ANALYSIS

 considers the time and place the historical

document was written as well as the situation or
the circumstances during the time
 Works are analyzed by taking into account the
author of the document, his/her biographical
background, role in the event and the intent for
writing the document
 Two questions to consider when doing a context
analysis
1. How authoritative is the account/ source?
2. How is it relevant today?
UNDERSTANDING
SOURCES
 Historians use archaeological,
epigraphical or numismatical materials
and has to depend largely on museums
 archival records, courthouses,
government libraries
 Having some subject in mind , with
more or less delimitation of the person
areas, times and functions involved he
looks for material that may have some
bearing upon those persons
 It is from historical sources that our
history is written and studied
 in analyzing, proper way of writing
history to enhance and disseminate
national identity
UNDERSTANDING
SOURCES
 What is a source?
-sources are artifacts that have
been left by the past
- materials from which
historians costruct meanings
-exist either as relics or as
testimonies to the past
- both poses the age in which
they are made
- perhaps served as records
-unintentional or intentional
 Relics or remains that offer a researchers
about the past simply by their existence
 typically objects of a practical use in
daily life
 it tells something about the existence
of the people and their culture
 technical and artistic capacities
 compare their commercial and intellectual
relations
 Testimonies- oral and written reports
that describe an event whether simple or
complex
 proof of an act or a or a right to inform them
about a fact
-speeches or commentaries are also testimonies
- what happened, how and in what
circumstances the event occured and why it
occured
 consider the conditions which the source was produced-the
intentions that motivated it-but they must not assume that
such knowledge tells them all they need to know about
"reliability"
 consider the historical context in which it was produced- the
significance of any event recorded depends on what comes
after it does on what comes before
PRIMARY SOURCES

 are materials produced by people or groups directly

involved in the event or topic being studied
 participants or eyewitnesses to the event
 ranges from eyewitness accounts, diaries, letters, legal
documents, and even photographs
8 Examples of
Primary Sources
1. Photograph that may reflect
social condition of historical
realities and everyday life
2. Old sketches and drawings that
may indicate the conditions of
life of societies in the past
3. Old maps that may reveal how
space nad geography were used
to emphasize structural
buildings etc.
4. Cartoons for political expression
or propaganda
5. Material evidence of prehistoric
past ike cave drawings, or
syllaberies and ancient writings.
6. Statistical tables, graphs and charts
7. Oral history or recordings by electronic means of accounts of
eyewitnesses or participants; the recordings are then
transcribed and used for research
8. Published and unpublished primary documents, eyewitness
accounts and other written sources
WRITTEN SOURCES

 Narrative include chronicles, tracts presented in a narrative

form written to impact a particular message
 newspaper article might be intended to shape opinion
 ego document 'personal narrative', diary or memoir might be
composed in order to persuade readers of the justice of
author's action
 records the author's perception of of events, even his memory of
how he experienced them, political intentions tactics and
ideologies
 Diplomatic sources- those which document existing legal
situation or create a new one
 sealed or authenticated toprovide evidence of the legal
transaction or proof of existence of juristic fact serve as
evidence for a judicial proceeding in the evnt of dispute
 purest and best source
 classic diplomatic source is the charter a legal instrument
 Social Documents- products of record-keeping
bureaucracies
-containing information of political, economic, social or
judicial import that provide accounts of particular changes
or agencies of meetings, or business policy, fiscal structures
of social structure or of a political administration
SECONDARY SOURCES
 the testimony of anyone who is not an eyewitness- that
is of one who was not present at the event of which he
tells" p.53
 books, articles, and scholarly journals that had
interpreted primary sources or had used them to
discuss certain subjects of history.
Get 1/2 sheet of paper and answer the following.

1. What is the main distinction between primary source

and secondary source?
2. Why is primary source important in the study of
history?
3. What is the purpose of secondary source?
4. At present, how do you discriminate between
contradicting reports of a single event from different
sources?
5. Why should official records of the government be
made accessible to the public
3 WAYS TO INTERPRET AND
VERIFY SOURCES
 HERMENEUTICS-
methodology of
interpretation is
concerned with
problems that arise
when dealing with
meaningful human
actions and the products
of such actions, most
importantly texts.
CORROBORATION-
Corroboration is the ability to
compare information provided by
two separate sources and find
similarities between them.

When a second source provides the

same or similar information to the
first, the second source is considered
to corroborate (e.g. support, or agree
with) with the first.
Finding corroboration between
sources strengthens your
conclusions, especially when you
are making a historical argument.
 Triangulation is the usage of
more than one method to collect
data on the same topic.
 This is a way of assuring the
validity of research through the
use of a variety of methods to
collect data on the same topic,
which involves different types of
samples as well as methods of
data collection.
 However, the purpose of
triangulation is not necessarily to
cross-validate
 data but rather to capture
different dimensions of the
same phenomenon.
HISTORICAL
REVISIONISM
CONTENT ANALYSIS

 Content analysis is a research tool used to determine

the presence of certain words or concepts within texts
or sets of texts. Researchers quantify and analyze the
presence, meanings and relationships of such words
and concepts, then make inferences about the
messages within the texts, the writer(s), the audience,
and even the culture and time of which these are a part.
 Texts can be defined broadly as books, book chapters,
essays, interviews, discussions, newspaper headlines
and articles, historical documents, speeches,
conversations, advertising, theater, informal
conversation, or really any occurrence of
communicative language.
INDIGENOUS
SOCIAL
SCIENCES
SIKOLOHIYANG
PILIPINO
 Studies the development of an indigenous
Filipino psychology
 Response to the colonial background of
Filipino psychology and the Great
Cultural Divide
 Virgilio Enriquez- Father of Sikolohiyang
Pilipino
 1. 1. Identity and national consciousness specially looking at the
socials sciences as the study of humans and their consciousness
and the meaning of diwa
 2. Social awareness and involvement as dictated by an objective
analysis of social science issues and problems
 3. National and ethnic cultures and languages including the study
of traditional psychology callled kinagisnang sikolohiya by Zeus
Salazar
 4. Bases and application of indigenous psychology in health
practice, agriculture, art, mass media, religion and others including
psychology of behavior and human abilities as discussed in
Western psychology and made applicable in the Philippine context
(pp. 38-39)
3 Major areas of Protest Against the colonial
background of Filipino Psychology

1. Sikolohiyang malaya or liberated psychology

2. Sikolohiyang pangkabuhayan/ livelihood
3. Sikolohiyang magpapalaya
 Emerged by using local languages
 Movement believes that Filipino language is the most appropriate
medium or language for the expression of Philippine realities
together with the development of a scientific literature that
embodies psychology of Filipino people
 Kapwa-not only experienced outside but also on the inside
 Emphasizes the unity of the self with others , shared identity,
accepting and dealing with other persons as equals
Underlying precondition of surface values
Pakikiramdam- shared inner feeling and perception for
another
A person without pakikiramdam cannot have pakikisama
and utang na loob
Enriquez p. 23 identified the levels of interrelatedness in
Filipino language serve as the foundation of human interaction
PILIPINOLOHIYA

 Covar 2007, pp. 62-63

1. Filipino psyche
2. Filipino culture
3. Filipino society

(language, forms of art, music, visual art, sculpture, dances,

architecture, drama, literature, film, philosophy, and religion)
•PAGKAP/FILIPINO of each field
 Covar (2007, p.66)
Systematic outline developed in order to clearly understand Filipino psyche,
Filipino culture, and behavior
-argues Filipino society is not suited in a country that is capitalist, democratic and
republican
-Proponents believe that without the knowledge and actual use of the language it is
not possible to have a complete understanding of culture.
-Philippine studies
-Pilipinolohiya studies the Philippines and its own people’s interest through the use
of its own coneptual categories as the nexus of interpretation