LEARNING OBJECTIVES

o To understand the meaning of history as

an academic discipline and to be familiar
with the underlying philosophy, and
methodology of the discipline.
o To apply the knowledge in historical
methodology and philosophy in assessing
and analyzing existing historical
narratives.
o To examine and assess critically
the value of historical evidences and
sources.
o To appreciate the importance of
history in the social and national life
of the Philippines.
 Definition of History
• History was derived from the Greek
word “istoria” which means
“knowledge acquired through inquiry
or investigation”.
• As a discipline it existed for around
2,400 years and is as old as
mathematics and philosophy.
 Various Historians
“History is the record of what one
age finds worthy of note in
another.”
---Burckhardt
“History, in its broadest sense, is
everything that ever happened.”
---Henry Johnson
 Various Historians
“The value & interest of history depend largely
on the degree in which the present is
illuminated by the past.”
--- V.S. Smith
“History is the story of man’s struggle through
the ages against Nature and the elements;
against wild beasts & the jungle & some of his
own kind who have tried to keep him down
and to exploit him for their own benefit.”
--- Jawaharal Nehru
History – provides us
significant records of events of
the past, a meaningful story of
mankind depicting the details
of what happened to man and
why it happened.
 Nature of History
1. History is a study of the present in the
light of the past.
2. History is the study of man.
3. History is concerned with man in time.
4. History is concerned with man in space.
5. History provides an objective record of
happenings.
6. History is multisided.
 Nature of History
7. History is a dialogue between the
events of the past & progressively
emerging future ends.
8. History is not only narration but it is
also an analysis.
9. Continuity and coherence are the
necessary prerequisites of history.
10. History is relevant.
11. History is comprehensive.
 Relevance & Functions of
1. History
History helps us understand people &
societies.
2. History contributes to moral
understanding
3. History provides identity.
4. Studying history is essential for good
citizenship.
5. History is useful in the world of work.
 Historical Sources
Historical sources - an object from the
past or testimony concerning the past
which historian’s use to create their own
depiction of the past.
 Written Sources: are published materials (books,
journals etc.) and manuscript (handwritten and
unprinted like archival materials and memoirs)
 Non written Sources: Oral history, artifacts,
fossils, etc.
 Primary
• testimonySources
of an eyewitness.
• It must have been produced by
a contemporary of that is
narrated.
• It is a document or physical
object written or created during
the time under study.
 Primary Sources

• These sources were present

during an experience or time
period and offer an inside view
of a particular event.
 Secondary Sources
 interpret and analyze primary
sources.
 they are one or more steps
removed from the event.
Examples are printed textbooks
 Repositories of Primary
Sources

National Archives of the National Library of the

Philippines Philippines
National Historical Commission of National Museum of the
the Philippines Philippines
 U.P. Main Library OLFU Library

National Archives and Records

Library of Congress Administration
 Kinds of Primary
A historical recordSources
Maps
Records of social Memoirs
observations Personal accounts
Chronicles Newspapers &
Human Fossils Magazines
Artifacts
Legislative journals
Royal Decrees and
Laws
Court Records
Official Reports
Lopez Memorial Museum Ayala Museum
 Both primary and secondary
sources are useful in writing and
learning history. However, they
need to scrutinize thoroughly
these document to avoid
deception and to come up with the
historical truth.
 Historical
External Criticism - deals
criticism with the problem of
authenticity: to spot hoaxes, fakes, forgeries
and fabrications. Tests of Authenticity are:
o Determine the date if it is Anachronistic: a
material, skill or culture does not exist at that
time.
o Determine the author in the uniqueness of his
handwriting or signature
o Determine the provenance or
custody: genuineness
o Determine the Semantics, meaning of
a text or word
o Determine the Hermeneutics, the
ambiguities (the branch of knowledge that deals
w/ interpretation, especially of the Bible)
 Internal
It deals with Criticism
the problem of credibility.
The tests of credibility are:
 Determine the Character of the
Author, his reliability, and his Ability and
Willingness to tell the truth
 Determine the Corroboration,
historical facts rest upon the testimony of
two or more reliable witnesses
 Historical
- the process of critically
Method examining
and analyzing the records and
survivals of the past
 The historian is many times removed
from the events under investigation
 They rely on surviving records
 History is a reconstruction
Workshop #1
Your task is to look into the
poem of Jose Rizal entitled
“Sa Aking Mga Kabata”
through the Historical
Criticism.
 ASSIGNMENT

Prepare for the following:

1.Anachronistic
2.Provenance or custody:
genuineness
3.Character of the Author
4.Semantics
My dear students:

I hope you could give me

feedback on the topic I
had just presented.

See you next meeting

for another presentation.

MERLY C. MOJARES, MBA