Ge2 Readings in Philippine History Module 1

COURSE
PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MUNTINLUPA

LEARNING
MODULE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
University Road, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City
QR/CBA/0__ Course Title: GE2 – READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Issue No. 0 Revision No. 0 Effectivity Date 7 September 2020 Page No. 1 of 31
CHAPTER THE MEANING OF HISTORY, SOURCES OF

1 HISTORICAL DATA, HISTORICAL CRITICISM
In this chapter, History as a discipline and as a narrative is being

introduced. It discusses the limitation of historical knowledge, history
as the subjective process of recreation, and historical method and
historiography. This module also presents the sources of historical
data, the written and non-written sources of history, as well as the
Description
differentiation of primary and secondary sources of information data.
Historical criticisms such as external and internal criticisms are also
being discussed here. These are important aspects of ascertaining the
authenticity and reliability of primary sources upon narratives that are
crafted.
At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of history.
Objectives 2. Identify the importance of studying history
3. Differentiate primary and secondary sources
4. Understand the concept of historical criticism
MAIN POINTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
 MEANING OF HISTORY
 SOURCES OF HISTORY
 HISTORICAL CRITICISMS
 BIRTH OF PHILIPPINE HISTORY
REQUIRED READING/S
 Levin, M., & Pforr, B. (1962). Ethnographic and Anthropological Materials as
Historical Sources. Arctic Anthropology, 1(1), 51-57.
www.jstor.org/stable/40315540
 Baumgartner, J. (1981). NEWSPAPERS AS HISTORICAL SOURCES. Philippine
Quarterly of Culture and Society, 9(3), 256-258. www.jstor.org/stable/29791732
COURSE
LEARNING
Meaning of History
As everyone knows, History is derived from the Greek word “historia” which means
learning by inquiry. Aristotle, the Greek Philosopher, looked upon at the history as systematic
accounting of a set of natural phenomena, that is, taking into consideration the chronological
arrangement of the account. This explains that knowledge is derived through conducting a
process of scientific investigation of past events.
There are theories constructed by historians in investigating history: the factual history and
speculative history. Factual history presents readers the plain and basic information vis-à-vis
the events that took place (what), the time and date with which the events happened (when),
the place with which the events took place (where), and the people that were involved (who).
Speculative history, on the other hand, goes beyond facts because it is concerned about the
reasons for which events happened (why), and the way they happened (how).
Sources of Historical Data
As we go along on the discussion, let us now focus on the sources of historical data.
Historical data are sources from artifacts that have been left by the past. These artifacts can
either be relics or remains, or the evidently testimonies of witnesses to the past. Therefore,
historical sources are those materials from which historians construct meaning. The historian
deals with the dynamic (the becoming) as well as the static (the being) and aims at being
interpretative (explaining why and how things happened and were interrelated) as well as
descriptive (telling what happened, when and where, and who took part). Besides, such
descriptive data as can be derived directly and immediately from surviving artifacts are only
small parts of the periods to which they belong.
There are written and non- written sources of history. Let us explain each.
First, written sources of history are usually categorized in three ways: (1) narrative or literary,
(2) diplomatic or juridical, and (3) social documents.
Narrative or literature are written sources of history wherein chronicles or tracts presented in
narrative form, written to impart a message whose motives for his or her compositions vary
widely.
Examples: biography, novel or film, and hagiography
COURSE
LEARNING
Diplomatic Sources are written sources of history which document/ record an existing legal
situation or create a replacement one, and it's these sorts of sources that professional
historians once treated as the purest, the “best” source. Example: Charter
Social documents are information concerning economic, social, political, or judicial

significance. They are records kept by bureaucracies.
Examples: government reports such as municipal accounts, research findings, and documents
like these parliamentary procedures, civil registry records, property registers, and records of
the census.
Second, unwritten sources - these are as essentials as written sources. There are two types:
fabric evidence and oral evidence.
Material evidence, also referred to as archaeological evidence is one among the foremost
important unwritten evidence.
Examples: pottery, jewelry, dwellings, graves, churches, roads, and others that tell a story
about the past.
Oral evidence is additionally a crucial source of data for historians. Examples of this are tale
sagas of ancient peoples and the folk songs or popular rituals from the pre-modern period of
Philippine history.
Primary versus Secondary Sources
It is very important to know the difference between primary and secondary sources. These
two concepts will help readers for a better understanding of the past.
Primary sources are original, first -hand account of an occasion or period that are usually
written or made during or on the brink of the event or period. These sources are original and
factual.
Examples: Newspapers, diaries, journals, letters, and magazines articles (known as the
factual accounts) and other government records, photographs, maps, postcards, posters,
recorded or transcribed speeches
Secondary sources are materials made by people long after the events. These sources provide
valuable interpretations of historical events. - interprets and scrutinizes primary sources.
Examples: biographies, histories, literary criticism
COURSE
LEARNING
Historical Criticism
Historical Criticism examines the origins of the earliest text to appreciate the underlying
circumstance upon which the text came to be (Soulen & Soulen, 2001). It has two important
goals:
First, to discover the original meaning of the text in its primitive or historical context and
literal sense.
Second, to create a restoration of the historical situation of the author and receivers of the
text.
There are two parts to historical criticisms.
1. External criticism determines the authenticity of the source. The authenticity of the fabric
could also be tested in two ways, by paleographical (the deciphering and dating of historical
manuscripts) and diplomatic criticism (critical analysis of historical paper to understand how
the document came to be, the information transmitted, and the relationships between the facts
purported in the document and the reality).
2. Internal criticism determines the historicity of the facts contained within the document. It
is not necessary to prove the authenticity of the material or document. However, the facts
contained in the document must first be tested before any conclusion about it can be admitted.
In determining the worth of the facts, the characters of the sources, the knowledge of the
author, and therefore the influences prevalent at the time of writing must be carefully
investigated.
The Birth of the Philippine History
According to H.O. Beyer’s Migration Theory, the history of the Philippines is believed to
have taken off with the arrival of the first humans using rafts or boats at least 67,000 years
ago as the 2007 discovery of Callao Man suggested. Negrito tribes first inhabited the isles
and more groups later migrated to the islands like the story of the Ten (10) Bornean Datus.
COURSE
LEARNING
The Philippines is rich in history however the written record started with the coming of the
Spaniards. Many believed that Spaniards destroyed the earlier records as completely as
possible. The same scenario happened when the Philippines was under the American and
Japanese colonization. Many precolonial records were lost and were no longer retrieved.
Therefore, much of what is known about Pre- Spanish days are still insufficient. There is still
much to be uncovered. Others said that some of our recovered records came from other
countries which were in touch with the islands. Take, for example, Murillo-Velarde Map, it
was a hydrographical and chorographical chart of the Philippines Island drawn by the Jesuit
Father Pedro Murillo Velarde (1696-1753) and published in Manila in the year 1734. It was
the first and believed to be the most important map of the maritime routes from Manila to
Spain and those colonies of the Spanish Empire in the new world. The map contains captions,
it also shows off great from the geographic point of view, and as an ethnographic document.
History as Records of the Past
The process of critically examining and analyzing the records and survivors of the past is
very important for us, readers to understand history. Historians create their narratives through
a survey and analysis of primary sources available in the archives, libraries, or the antique
collections of document enthusiasts. Relying on different materials and resources (both
primary and secondary) will truly help us to bring us back to the past events that may lead us
for a better understanding of the present.
REFERENCE
Ligan, V., Espino, L., Andrada, J., et. al. (2018) Readings in the Philippine History, Malabon
City. Mutya Publishing House, Inc. Chapter 1 (pages 1-15)
COURSE
LEARNING
resident to be reelected for the said positions. President Marcos’ second term was met by
many problems and challenges as compared to his first term. Many Filipinos became
unemployed and the peso devalued. Added the corruption in the government and poverty of
the majority of the Filipinos.
Martial Law is a measure used by a leader of a state to secure the welfare of the people
against dangers of violence, anarchy, rebellion, or even conquest. President Marcos used
Martial Law to extend his term of office. Another reason for declaring Martial Law was that
Marcos wanted to establish a “New Society”.
Marcos also founded the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) which was
tasked to administer and plan programs for the national economy. Despite of these reforms,
Filipinos still experienced economic and political challenges. The majority of the people were
in poverty.
Even though that Marcos reinstated democracy, he was still in control of the government. The
Batasang Pambansa that he created which was composed of 132 members were also under his
supervision.
January 17, 1981, President Marcos signed Presidential Decree 2045 declaring the end of
Martial Law after eight years and four months. On June 16, 1981, the first elections after
Martial Law was lifted, took place. Of course, Marcos won.
The death of Senator Ninoy Aquino triggered the thirst of the Filipinos for real democracy.
He was killed at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983. President Marcos
immediately ordered the trial of Aquino – Galman case. Under the Sandiganbayan
Challenges Continue under the Philippine Presidents
Different struggles stirred after we claim our independence from colonizers. After the ten-
year program of the United States in the country through the Commonwealth, finally, there
was the Third Republic. But the crises did not stop, at first, there were post-war problems
followed by different challenges faced by different administrations of the Third Republic.
REFERENCES
COURSE
LEARNING
Palado, D., De Silva, A., Reyes, C., et. al., (2018) Readings in Philippine History,
Muntinlupa City. Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc. (157-175).

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COURSE

PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MUNTINLUPA

CHAPTER THE MEANING OF HISTORY, SOURCES OF

In this chapter, History as a discipline and as a narrative is being

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

MAIN POINTS AND HIGHLIGHTS

Sources of Historical Data

Social documents are information concerning economic, social, political, or judicial

Primary versus Secondary Sources

There are two parts to historical criticisms.

The Birth of the Philippine History

History as Records of the Past

Challenges Continue under the Philippine Presidents

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