NICHOLE NAZARENE GANDOL OCT 11, 2020

BSA – BCA

Reinforcement Activity 1. Answer the following questions.

1. Try to remember the last national holiday that we have. Why do you
think that the common perception of a holiday is “no classes”
(walang pasok) to the point that it has become its meaning? What
were lost, that we have come to view national holidays as this? Why
were they lost?

The last national holiday we had was National Heroes Day back in August 29.
Holidays were created in order to important events or people, however as the years
came by, the purpose of holidays are lost. People now have less appreciation for the true
purpose of these holidays due to simply not being aware of it or not caring because it’s a
product of the past. There’s also the fact that workers and students alike are dealing
with greater and greater demands from work and school which leads to exhaustion.
Because of this, a lot of people are desperate for a break. According to the dictionary, a
holiday is “…a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done.” So, it’s not a surprise
that many think this way.

This leads to the lost of the true meaning and purpose of these holidays where it’s
supposed to celebrate a certain thing. Many people have forgotten why these holidays
exist in the first place and the history behind them, thus causing the apathetic nature of
their behavior. Again, the reason may be because the cost of living has been getting
bigger and bigger, thus people have more things to worry about, including students who
overwork themselves in order to get good grades which will help them graduate and find
a job in the future, as well as keep or gain a scholarship. By the end of it, everyone is just
desperate for a break or just less work.

2. In Gottschalk’s book, history as now being read, is only a very

minute portion of the totality of history for very few information of
the past were observed, few were remembered, few were recorded,
few survived. How would this affect your reading and appreciation
of history today?

History is the study of previous occasions, issues, and individuals. Because it

describes how certain challenges were created and resolved in the past, it is important
for us to understand and study history so that we may utilize it to solve problems that
are now plaguing society. However, the fact that so little historical knowledge was
preserved and passed down through the generations may have had an impact on how
we see history now.
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BSA – BCA

For me, I still to an extent appreciate history but now I approach it with some
level of skepticism or that I keep in mind that what was recorded may not be the full
truth. Spending so much time in the internet and exposing myself to several societal
issues, most of which has concerns with history, I have come to realize how little we
actually know from the past. Most of what is recorded are in the perspective of the
privileged and thus, does not paint a good picture of the event itself. Plus, the fact how
certain groups of people are excluded in history due to prejudice and bigotry of those
recording it. Again, I still appreciate history but I always approach it now with these in
mind.

3. In the same book, a monument, a relic, a document would remain

simply data and will never be historical source without human
element. What does this mean?

A monument, relic, or document would continue to be only data rather than the
actual or imagined events themselves. If they are artifacts, the outcomes of the events
are represented by them; if they are written documents, the outcomes or records of the
events may be represented. Whether they are objects or written records, they serve as
the foundation upon which history is built. Only by putting them in a human
environment will it be possible to give them a historical context. Now, why is that?

It's because a procedure must be carried out by people in order to demonstrate its
accuracy, dependability, and relationship to other historical facts. By doing this, we focus
the issue to the point where what is almost accurate historical documentation. A human
element is necessary to determine whether an artifact, record, or monument is accurate.

4. In the historical method as discussed by Gottschalk, the third stage

of the historical method is the examination of genuineness of the
source or material. Why, do you think, the genuineness of the
material should first be established before the extraction of credible
particulars would follow?

Historical methods are collections of principles and procedures that aid historians
in their research and historical writing. The authenticity of the source material must be
established in order for historical evidence to be taken seriously. Gottschalk thinks that
historical techniques for discussing genuineness are crucial for demonstrating the
reliability of the source material.

To me, it must be proven that the source doesn't intend to create bias in order for
the source's information to be taken seriously. I also think that when the source material
is supported by several independent sources, its credibility rises. For example,
testimonies from eye-witnesses are more reliable than those of second-hand. When it
comes to artifacts, the material's intimate ties to the events of the historical
phenomenon serve as further support for its historical correctness. The closer it is to the
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BSA – BCA

historical events it claims to support, the more authentic it becomes. Since any source
material may be tampered with or falsified, the originality of the source material boosts
its credibility and veracity. Also, relics are more trustworthy than narratives because
relics are considered evidence, such as preserved stories and fingerprints.