THE SOURCES OF

HISTORY
COURSE FACILITATOR: NAOMI M. JEMERA, M.A.
 §History, as it is commonly defined, is the study of
human past.
§The English word history is derived from the Greek
word ἱστορία (historia) which means “learning”.
Understanding §Contrary to what many people think, history is not
History merely memorizing list of names, places, and
events, History traces the development, rise and fall
or rebirth of a person, persons, society, a
community or a country.
History Defined by
E.H. Carr
§The continuous process of interaction between the
historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the
present and the past

§History means interpretation

§History is what the historian makes

 HISTORY
KASAYSAYAN
Kaibigan Importance or purpose
Kaaway
Kapamilya

HIS STORY
Kapitbahay
Kaklase
Kabarangay
Karelasyon
Kapuso
A nation without control of our destiny
Individuals who write history
are called historians. They
seek to contextualize the
historical milieu of one’s
particular time.
The practice and study of
historical writing is called
historiography.

modern historical writing

Traditional method in
historical writing focuses on
gathering documents from
archives and libraries to
construct a descriptive-
analytical narrative.
does not only use
documents but also
interdisciplinary methods
from areas of studies such
as sociology, geography, and
archaeology.
 THE IN THE STUDY OF
HISTORY, SOURCES

SOURCES OF ARE WHERE THE

DATA AND

HISTORY
INFORMATION COME
FROM.
 2. Secondary sources are
1. The first type is called a
primary source, which was
made by individuals who are
not direct participants to the
written or recalled by an event. Information
eyewitness or direct
interpreted from primary
participant in the event sources are considered
being studied.
secondary sources.

2 TYPES OF HISTORICAL SOURCES

EDITORIALS
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Laws, ordinances, decrees,
and other legal documents
Article 247 of the Revised Code, anyone “who having
surprised his spouse in the act of committing sexual
intercourse with another person, shall kill any of them or
both of them in the act or immediately thereafter, or shall
inflict upon them any serious physical injury, shall suffer
the penalty of destierro.”
ARTWORKS
THESES AND
DISSERTATIONS
DOCUMENTARIES
AND
PHOTOGRAPHS
BOOKS AND
TEXTBOOKS
FOLKLORES
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RELICS
 There is an abundance of primary sources
about the Philippines here and abroad.
REPOSITORIES Government institutions like the National
OF PRIMARY Library and the National Archives are major
SOURCES repositories of documentary sources.
National Library of
the Philippines
Historical Criticism

External Criticism which deals with the problem of authenticity: spot hoaxes, fakes, forgeries and
fabrications. Tests of Authenticity requires a historian to:

Determine the date if it is anachronistic: a material, skill or culture does not exist at that time.

Determine the author in the uniqueness of his handwriting or signature

Determine the provenance or custody

Determine the semantics and the meaning of a text or word

Determine the hermeneutics and ambiguities

Historical Criticism

Internal Criticism; deals with the problem of credibility. Tests of credibility requires a historian to:

Determine the character of the author, his reliability, ability and willingness to tell the truth

Determine the corroboration, historical facts rest upon the testimony of two or more reliable
witnesses
Philippine
Historiography
Spanish missionaries and government
officials
Ilustrados

Traditional historians

Modern Filipino-centric history

Reflective Questions
1. In what ways historical events and issues you deem most important connect to your
personal life?

2. What might be the influence on historical interpretation of the context within which
historians write?

3. Are the discussion we explore in class meaningful in terms of real-world situations and
problems?

4. Think and reflect about your past experiences. How does your past influence your idea
and behavior at the present?

5. About whom is history written? Are the lives of some groups of people more historically
significant than the lives of others?