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Historical Criticism

The document discusses various types of historical sources that are used for writing history. It describes published materials like manuscripts and non-written sources such as artifacts. It also discusses primary sources, which are materials created by those directly involved in an event. Primary sources include eyewitness accounts, letters, photos. The document also discusses how historians analyze sources using external and internal criticism to evaluate their authenticity and credibility. This includes analyzing things like the date, authorship, references, and more. Artifacts are also discussed as materials that provide insights into a culture. The historical method is described as using criticism to systematically examine accounts of the past.

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BJ Huidem Carreon
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206 views3 pages

Historical Criticism

The document discusses various types of historical sources that are used for writing history. It describes published materials like manuscripts and non-written sources such as artifacts. It also discusses primary sources, which are materials created by those directly involved in an event. Primary sources include eyewitness accounts, letters, photos. The document also discusses how historians analyze sources using external and internal criticism to evaluate their authenticity and credibility. This includes analyzing things like the date, authorship, references, and more. Artifacts are also discussed as materials that provide insights into a culture. The historical method is described as using criticism to systematically examine accounts of the past.

Uploaded by

BJ Huidem Carreon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Historical Sources - materials used for the writing of history

Classifications

Published materials - materials that have been published for public use

Manuscripts - any handwritten or typed record that has not been printed

Non-written sources - such as oral history, artifacts, ruins, fossils, artworks, video and
audio recordings

Primary sources

- materials produced by people or groups directly involved in the event or topic

- either participants or witnesses

- range from eyewitness accounts, diaries, letters, legal documents, and official documents
(government or private) and even photographs

Categories:

1. Written Sources – materials written and/or published by a firsthand eyewitness or


the participant
2. Images – visual documents published or made by an eyewitness, or the participant
3. Artifacts – materials made by a firsthand eyewitness, or the participant
4. Oral testimonies – documented conversations written and/or published by a
firsthand eyewitness, or the participant

Historical Criticism

External Criticism

Tests of Authenticity

1. Anachronistic Document Date – determining the date of the document


2. Author – determining the author’s manuscript (handwriting)
3. Anachronistic Style – determining whether the idiom, orthography (conventional
spelling), or punctuation is anachronistic
4. Anachronistic Event Reference – determining whether the event mentioned is too
early, too late, or too remote/distant
5. Provenance or Custody – determining its genuineness
6. Semantics – determining the meaning of the text, phrase, sentence, or word
7. Hermeneutics – determining the ambiguity (i.e. open to more than one (1)
interpretation; vague)
Internal Criticism

Tests of Credibility

1. Author’s Identification – determining the author’s reliability, mental processes,


personal attitude, and relationships
2. Date Approximation – determining the event’s date that must be verisimilar
3. Ability to Tell the Truth – determining the witness’ nearness to the event
4. Willingness to Tell the Truth – determining if the author consciously or
unconsciously tells falsehoods
5. Corroboration – determining if the piece of information receives, supports, or
confirms a theory or finding, usually referring to historical facts

Artifacts - (also spelled as artefact) is a material made by man that describes what culture
he belongs to.

Sociofacts – ways in which people organize their society and relate to one (1) another.

Mentifacts - ideas, beliefs, and values that people hold on, see, and associate to an artifact.

Historical Method – process of systematically examining an account of what has happened


in the past – uses Historical Criticism to evaluate Historical Sources

Importance

1. Finding solutions for contemporary problems


2. Understanding the trends for present and future
3. Understanding importance and repercussions found in cultures
4. Reevaluation of presented historical data and factoids

Content

 the subjects or topics covered in a book or document


 the matter dealt with in a field of study

Context

 the parts of a written or spoken statement


 the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its
meaning
 the interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs
The Author’s Perspective

Background – a short history about the author’s life

Point-of-View – perspective used by the author that determines the approximate “distance”
of the author to the narrative he or she is writing

Argument – also called purpose; the author’s stand or opinion in the narrative

Attitude

 almost similar to Argument, but reflects the mood more, which is observed on how
the author addressed his or her argument
 reflects the current situation and emotion of the author

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