Lesson I. Meaning and Relevance of History

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
MODULE I. HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY
Lesson I. Meaning And Relevance Of History
Introduction
History in its simplest definition is the study of the past, however, it is

not all that. In a more in-depth discussion of the meaning of history, a broad
understanding of it as a discipline and as a narrative is needed to come up
with a more comprehensive definition that transcends the above meaning.
One of the many tasks of historians is to deal with bulk of documents
and evidences to prove their assertions. They must look for authentic and
valid sources of information in order to get away with biases that will hinder
them in exposing the truth. With the historical methodologies coupled with
appropriate perspective and a tinge of personal equation, a near to accurate
historiography can be achieved.
Lesson
Objectives
1. Evaluate the definition of history and historiography.

2. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of the study of history.
3. Determine the contribution of primary sources in understanding our
historiography specifically of our pre-colonial history.
Activate Prior
Knowledge
Before you proceed in studying this lesson, you must first fill-up the K-
W-L table below. What you are going to do is to list down what are the things
that you have known (prior knowledge) of this lesson in the K column, then
the things that you want to know (wanted to learn) in the W column, and after
the discussion and further activities, you will also enumerate the things that
you have learned from this lesson in the L column. Make your own table and
do not limit your list of the number of rows provided in each column. Add
more rows if needed. Write your answer on a separate sheet.
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Activity 1.0
Lesson: _________________________________________________________________________
K What I Know W What I Want to L What I Learned

know
Acquire New
Knowledge
Since you’re through in filling-up the K-W-L table, let’s now proceed to
acquire new knowledge by reading and understanding the information below.
MEANING OF HISTORY
1. What do you think of when you hear the word “HISTORY?”
When answering this question, consider it in a personal aspect. Go back

in time and try to imagine your experiences as far as the time you can
remember. History, in a personal aspects, includes all the things that
happened in your past, all of your experiences whether it is positive and
worth remembering or the other way around. This is so because all these
things might help you understand yourself in oder to become a better person.
And in order to do these, find the link of your past to your present state that
will may help guide you with your future.
2. Where does the word HISTORY come from?
 The word history comes from Greek ἱστορία (historia),

“knowledge acquired by investigation” and from the Proto-Indo-
European *wid-tor-, “to know, to see".
 This root is also present in the English words wit, wise, and
wisdom.
 So “HISTORY” means “WISDOM.”
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HISTORY defined:
History is the study of the past, with emphasis on the written record of
human activities. Scholars who write about history are called historians. It is
also a field of research which uses a narrative to examine and analyze the
sequence of events in the past, and with the aim of objective investigation of
the patterns of cause and effect that determine events.
Just think!!!
 Having learned the definition of history, can you

make your own definition based on your
experiences?
IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY
1. Why is HISTORY important?
This question is somehow relegated into periphery with regards to our

quest for daily life experiences. This is true because the present generation
put career through technology as center of daily living. However, humanities
are still needed especially in the academe. The following are justifications by
famous figures in history affirming the importance of history.
 History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it
illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life.
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
 The value of history … is that it teaches us what man has done and
thus what man is and can do. – R. G. Collingwood
 “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”
- George Santayana
 "Men make their own history, but they do it under circumstances
directly found, given and transmitted from the past." - Karl Marx
2. Is HISTORY useful?
 History helps us understand OUR WORLD

 History give us identity
 History helps us understand people and society
 Those that study and understand history become good citizens
 It contributes to moral understanding
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 History helps us understand change and how the society we live in

came to be
Just think!!!
 Based on your experiences, is the

study of HISTORY important and useful
to you?
PROCESS OR PATTERN OF HISTORY
The general concept of process or pattern of history can be categorized

into the following;
1. Spiral - the events in history in this process or pattern goes like a spring,
where the events unfold like a cycle that continues to accumulate
development, however, it will not goes back to where it started.
2. Linear - the strict up and down of events is what characterizes this process
or pattern.
3. Chaotic - under this process, the events in history goes unpredictable, it is
somewhat messy and no direction.
HISTORICAL METHOD
Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that

historians use to research and write histories of the past. A way of presenting
information (as in teaching or criticism) in which a topic is considered in
terms of its earliest phases and followed in an historical course through its
subsequent evolution and development.
Secondary sources, primary sources and material evidence such as
that derived from archaeology may all be drawn on, and the historian's skill
lies in identifying these sources, evaluating their relative authority, and
combining their testimony appropriately in order to construct an accurate
and reliable picture of past events and environments.
In the philosophy of history, the question of the nature, and the
possibility, of a sound historical method is raised within the sub-field of
epistemology. The study of historical method and of different ways of writing
history is known as historiography.
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HISTORIOGRAPHY
1. Can an objective HISTORIOGRAPHY be achieved?
Before you can answer this question, Let’s define first historiography,
and then read an excerpt of an article by Richard Vann on methodology of
historiography.
HISTORIOGRAPHY defined:
Historiography, the writing of history, especially the writing of history

based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particular details
from the authentic materials in those sources, and the synthesis of those
details into a narrative that stands the test of critical examination. The term
historiography also refers to the theory and history of historical writing.
Historiography in the Philippines
Historiography of the Philippines refers to the studies, sources,

critical methods and interpretations used by scholars to study the history of
our country. Our archipelago has been part of many empires before the
Spanish empire has arrived in the 16th century.
Before the arrival of Spanish colonial powers, our country is less known.
Southeast Asia is classified as part of the Indosphere and the Sinosphere. The
archipelago has direct contact with China during Song dynasty (960-1279)
and there are documents suggesting that our country has been a part of
the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires.
Our ancestor during the pre-colonial era uses the Abugida writing
system that has been widely used in writing and seals on documents though it
was for communication and no recorded writings of early literature or
history.
Our ancient forefathers usually write documents on bamboo, bark, and leaves
which did not survive unlike inscriptions on clays, metals, and ivories did like
the Laguna Copperplate Inscription and Butuan Ivory Seal. The discovery of
the Butuan Ivory Seal also proves the use of paper documents in our country
in the ancient times.
There is another important source of information about our pre-
colonial history and that is oral tradition. Our early ancestors narrated their
history through communal songs and epics that they passed orally form a
generation to another.
When the Spanish colonizers came, they wrote the history of their
colony in a bipartite view, seeing them in the lenses of Western thought and
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Christianity. They consider the pre-colonial era in our country as dark ages
until they introduce the light. To poster their belief, they burned our pre-
colonial manuscripts and documents to eliminate pagan beliefs. However, our
first nationalists insisted on tripartite view. They saw our pre-colonial times
as luminous until the colonizers snatch it from them.
This has been the burden of historians in the accumulation of data and
the development of theories that gave historians many aspects of our history
that were left unexplained. The interplay of pre-colonial events, the use of
secondary sources written by historians to evaluate the primary sources, do
not provide a critical examination of the methodology of the early historical
study of our country.
The historiography of the post-colonial period was focused on our
struggles and historians saw the colonial era as a prelude. The critical role
played by our foregoer in shaping our national history in this period is well
highlighted and analyzed based on the accounts on the revolution and the
Philippine-American War as it describes the social, economic, political, and
cultural conditions of our country.
The last couple of decades were considered as the most productive in
our historiography, not only because of greater volume of historical studies
but many of these studies shaped and widened our perspective of our history.
In pursuit of a historiography that can be called our own, Filipino
historian Zeus Salazar introduced the new guiding philosophy for writing
and teaching history, this is the pantayong pananaw (for us-from us
perspective) – this perspective highlights the importance of facilitating an
internal conversation an discourse among us and about our own history,
using the language that is understood by everyone.
Just think!!!
 What is your own understanding of pantayong

pananaw?
 How this perspective helps us in understanding
our past?
 Can we achieve objectivity in historiography?
Application
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As an application of what you have learned, you will analyze early

document pertaining to our early society. This is the Laguna Paleograph or
the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. After reading the translated version of
this evidence, answer the supporting questions below. Write your answers on
a separate sheet.
The Laguna Copperplate Inscriptions*

circa: 900 A.D., Laguna, Philippines
Line 1: Hail! In the Saka-year 822; the month of March-April;

according to the astronomer: the 4th day of the dark half of the moon; on
Line 2: Monday. At the time, Lady Angkatan together with their

relative, Bukah by name,
Line 3: the child of His Honor Namwran, was given, as a special

favor, a document of full acquittal, by the Chief and Commander of
Tundun,
Line 4: The former leader of Pailah, Jayadewah. To the effect that

His Honor Namwran, through the Honorable Scribe
Line 5: was totally cleared of debt to the amount of 1 kati and 8

suwarna (weight of gold), in the presence of His Honor the Leader of
Puliran,
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Line 6: Kasumuran; His Honor the Leader of Pailah, namely:

Ganasaki; (and) His Honor the Leader
Line 7: of Binwangan, namely: Bisruta. And (His Honor Namwran)

with his whole family, on orders of the Chief of Dewata,
Line 8: representing the Chief of Mdang, because of his loyalty as a

subject (slave?) of the Chief, therefore all the descendants
Line 9: of His Honor Namwran have been cleared of the whole

debt that His Honor owed the Chief of Dewata. This (document) is
(issued) in case
Line 10: there is someone, whosoever, some time in the future,

who will state the debt is not yet acquitted of His Honor…
*Translated by Antoon Postma
Supporting Questions:
1. How this evidence shows the early society of our

ancestors?
2. What information you can get out of the document to
help you understand our early society and culture?
Assessment
Learning Task
Lesson Exercise (Quiz)
The Quiz in this section will be administered separately during in-

person session.
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MODULE I. HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY
Lesson 2. Historical Sources and Criticism
Introduction
In conducting research in the social sciences, humanities (especially

history), arts, or natural sciences, the ability to distinguish between primary
and secondary source material is essential. Basically, this distinction
illustrates the degree to which the author of a piece is removed from the
actual event being described, informing the reader as to whether the author
is reporting impressions first hand (or is first to record these immediately
following an event), or conveying the experiences and opinions of others—
that is, second hand.
To test is to criticize; and while criticism is not the chief end of historical
research, still no conclusions may be made by the research-worker until all
his material has passed through the sieve of historical criticism. After all have
been considered, the conclusion is formulated. It is in this lesson that these
topics be tackled.
Lesson
Objectives
1. Evaluate primary sources for their credibility, authenticity, and

provenance.
2. Analyze the context, content, and perspective of different kinds of
primary sources.
3. Determine the contribution of different kinds of primary sources in
understanding Philippine history.
4. Develop critical and analytical skills with exposure to primary sources.
Activating Prior
Knowledge
Before you start studying this lesson, answer first the activity to activate
your prior knowledge about the topic.
Activity 2.0
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Listed below are historical sources and a chart. There are two columns in
the chart. The first column is labeled Primary Sources and the second one is
Secondary Sources. Classify the words according to where it belongs in the
chart. This activity is to test your honesty, so do not look for the answers in
this module. Make your own table in your answer sheet.
archival documents letters textbooks manuscript

encyclopedia government records commentaries
census almanacs artifacts book reviews
memorabilia magazine articles diaries speeches
Primary Sources Secondary Sources
Acquire New
Knowledge
After answering the chart, you are now ready to study the lesson.
HISTORICAL SOURCES
Historical Sources
Since the main subject of history is the past, it is but imperative for
historians to deal with historical sources. These are something that provide
information about the historical topic you are studying. These sources can be
classified into two, the written (e.g. books or websites) and the non-written
(e.g. artifacts and photographs). Aside from this classification, historical
sources can be classified according to its content. These are the primary,
secondary sources.
Many sources can be considered either primary or secondary,
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depending on the context in which they are examined. Moreover, the

distinction between primary and secondary sources is subjective and
contextual, so that precise definitions are difficult to make.
Whether a source is regarded as primary or secondary in a given

context may change, depending upon the present state of knowledge within
the field. For example, when one is merely summarizing a novel then it can
be regarded secondary, however, if an opinion is included in the summary
then it can be regarded as primary.
Another example is when a document mentioning a lost

correspondence, that document can be considered as primary since that is
the closest thing that can be cited in lieu of the lost letter, however, if the
correspondence is found then the former document will become a secondary
source. The reason why such document is considered as ‘primary source’ is
due to the fact that the original text was missing or in an instance where
there is no copy of the original source material existed and that the document
that cited the original is the oldest source that an information can be
retrieved.
Primary and Secondary Sources
In order to answer the question above, you must read the succeeding
information regarding these two kinds of historical sources.
Primary Sources
A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an

event, object, person, or work of art. Primary sources provide the original
materials on which other research is based and enable students and other
researchers to get as close as possible to what actually happened during a
particular event or time period. Published materials can be viewed as
primary resources if they come from the time period that is being discussed,
and were written or produced by someone with firsthand experience of the
event. Often primary sources reflect the individual viewpoint of a participant
or observer. Primary sources can be written or non-written (sound, pictures,
artifacts, etc.). In scientific research, primary sources present original
thinking, report on discoveries, or share new information.
Examples of primary sources:
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Table 1. Types of Primary Sources

Types of Primary
Examples
Sources
books, magazines, newspapers, government
Published
documents, reports, advertisements, maps, posters,
documents
legal documents, and other kinds of literature
Unpublished personal letters, diaries, wills, deeds, and school
documents report cards
Visual documents photographs, posters, cartoons, films, and paintings
Relics or pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings and other
Artefacts excavated physical items
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon,
analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. A secondary
source is generally one or more steps removed from the event or time period
and are written or produced after the fact with the benefit of hindsight.
Secondary sources often lack the freshness and immediacy of the original
material. On occasion, secondary sources will collect, organize, and
repackage primary source information to increase usability and speed of
delivery, such as an online encyclopedia. Like primary sources, secondary
materials can be written or non-written (sound, pictures, movies, etc.).
Examples of secondary sources:
Table 2. Types of Secondary Sources

Types of
Secondary Examples
Sources
Popular history books, textbooks, academic works,
Books
and printed theses
Scholarly research undertaken by university
Academic
academics is published in academic journals, which
Journal articles
can be found via JSTOR or Google Scholar.
Websites Most websites that come up on a Google search are
not of sufficient quality for high school or
university essays. If you choose to use websites as
secondary sources, make sure you only use websites
from respectable individuals or institutions
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(universities, museums, government archives, etc.).
Just Think!!!
 What are the differences between primary and

secondary sources?
SOURCE CRITICISM
Source criticism is the tool scholars use to figure out what sources,
or materials, authors drew on. It allows you to think carefully about the
nature of historical sources. Rather than simply accepting what sources say,
these skills help you to develop a healthy skepticism about the reasons a
source was made and whether you can trust it. It is also the process of
evaluating the qualities of an information source, such as its validity,
reliability, and relevance to the subject under investigation.
Gilbert J. Garraghan and Jean Delanglez divide source criticism into
six inquiries:
1. When was the source, written or unwritten, produced (date)?

2. Where was it produced (localization)?
3. By whom was it produced (authorship)?
4. From what pre-existing material was it produced (analysis)?
5. In what original form was it produced (integrity)?
6. What is the evidential value of its contents (credibility)?
The first four are considered as higher criticism; the fifth, lower
criticism; and, together, external criticism (authenticity and provenance). The
sixth and final inquiry about a source is called internal criticism (historical
reliability). Together, this inquiry is known as source criticism.
External and Internal Criticism
The sources available to the historian are primarily, but not

exclusively, documents; sources may also take the form of museum materials,
pictures, sound recordings, and newsreel films. But, whatever the character
of the source, its critical examination is the historian’s first obligation. This
critical examination involves three procedures: (1) the authentication of the
physical remains, or external criticism; (2) the analysis of contents, or
LANUGAN RL 13
internal criticism; and (3) the evaluation of the resulting data as evidence.
External criticism refers to the evaluation of a document in order to
test its authenticity: Is the information concerning the author, the place and
the time it was written correct? External criticism in historical research
evaluates the validity of the document this is, where and by whom it was
produced.
Internal criticism concerns the contents of the document; it involves
both an interpretation of the source, linguistically and in terms of historical
context, and also an evaluation in terms of how reliable or credible the
source is. Internal criticism concerned with the accuracy and meaning of the
data contained in the document.
Purposes
The purpose of external criticism is to assess the genuineness of

documents or of other physical survivals. It seeks, first, to expose counterfeits,
and then to establish positive identifications of origin.
The purpose of internal criticism on the other hand, is to detect
inconsistencies, errors, or falsehoods through analysis of the text of a document
or through inspection of the contents of nondocumentary sources. Handbooks
and manuals have made various attempts to codify the principles of internal
criticism.
The climax of the critical process is the evaluation of the evidence
produced by research and validated by the techniques of external and
internal criticism. The historian must not permit himself to be satisfied by
the mere accumulation of “evidence.” He must relentlessly subject himself to
the question: what is this “evidence” evidence of?
Activity 2.1
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For this activity, you are going to fill up the Venn Diagram using the
characteristics of external and internal criticisms by identifying their
similarities and differences. For circle 1, you will list down the unique
characteristics of the process external criticism. Then for circle 2 the
characteristics of internal criticism. And on the overlapping (middle - 3) area
is for their similarities. Make your own Venn Diagram on a separate sheet
and write your answers on it.
External Criticism Internal Criticism
Venn Diagram
Application
After reading and understanding all the information above, let’s now
come to another activity, the scenario-based learning (SBL). Below are
scenario for you to analyze. After reading and analyzing the scenario, answer
the questions that follow. Write all your answers on a separate sheet.
Activity 2.2
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A researcher was doing his research on the ancient laws of our

country. He then stumbled a document mentioning an early set of
laws of our ancestors and accordingly was in the hand of an antique
collector. He painstakingly traced the whereabouts of the collector
and luckily found him in Binondo in China Town, Manila. When he
interviewed the collector regarding the document, the latter said that,
it is handed to him by his great grandfather and told him about a story
of where the document really came from. According to the story, it
was a field notes of a French historian who travels to our country
during the early years of Spanish colonial period. The collector
mentioned the name of the historian but the researcher could not
found it in the list of historians who visited our country during the
said era. He found out later that the French historian did not actually
visited our country but visited an eastern part of Indonesia near the
present Tawi-tawi. When the reasercher carbon-dated the document
the result was, the paper used in the document was made sometime in
1800’s.
Question: The researcher in this scenario is engaged in what

process of criticism? Support your answer.
Jesusa is a transfery student in a university in Cebu. She

wanted to study the history of Cebu for her thesis. One afternoon
while she was exploring the library of her new school, she came
across a picture inserted among the pages in one of the history books
that she borrowed. The picture is about a vendor in front of an old
market which when she took a closer look at it, she found out that it
was the old market in downtown. At the back of the picture is an old
style of writing finely inscribed that says: “Tabo-an, 3 de Abril 1856”.
Question: based on the scenario, is the photograph a primary,

secondary, or tertiary source? _________________________________
Assessment
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Learning Task
Lesson Exercise (Quiz)
The Quiz in this section will be administered separately during in-

person session.
References
Module I. Lesson 1.
Candelaria, J.L. & Alporha, V.C. 2018. Readings in Philippine History. QC: Rex
Book Store.
Richard T. Vann. Methodology of Historiography. Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Retrieved on June 23, 2020 from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/historiography/The-presentation-
of-history
Peter N. Stearns. (1998). Why study history? American Historical

Association. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from
https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-
and-archives/historical-archives/why-study-history-(1998)
Penn T. Larena. Introduction to history: definition, issues, sources and

methodology. Retrieved on June 24, 2020 from
https://www.slideshare.net/PennVillanueva/introduction-to-history-
definitionissuessources-and-methodology
Historical Methods. Faculty of History. Oxford University

https://www.history.ox.ac.uk/historical-methods#collapse386591
Module I. Lesson 2.
Candelaria, J.L. & Alporha, V.C. 2018. Readings in Philippine History. QC: Rex
Book Store.
Harvard Guide - Principles of historical criticism (1954). Hereditas Historiae.

Harvard University.
http://hereditas-historiae.org/Home/In-pursuit-of-truthful-history-
stories/Harvard-Guide-Principles-of-historical-criticism-1954/
Reesa Sorin, Scenario-based learning: Transforming Tertiary Teaching and

Learning. James Cook University, Australia. Reesa.Sorin@jcu.edu.au
https://www.academia.edu/21282360/Scenario-
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based_learning_Transforming_tertiary_teaching_and_learning
Michael T. James. Source criticism. History Skills

https://www.historyskills.com/source-criticism/
Primary vs. Secondary Source. American University Library.

https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/primary
On Sources and Method. Wikipedia.com

https://folk.uio.no/stveb1/Chapter_1_Method.pdf
LANUGAN RL 18

Lesson I. Meaning and Relevance of History

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READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

MODULE I. HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY

Lesson I. Meaning And Relevance Of History

History in its simplest definition is the study of the past, however, it is

1. Evaluate the definition of history and historiography.

K What I Know W What I Want to L What I Learned

1. What do you think of when you hear the word “HISTORY?”

When answering this question, consider it in a personal aspect. Go back

2. Where does the word HISTORY come from?

 The word history comes from Greek ἱστορία (historia),

 Having learned the definition of history, can you

This question is somehow relegated into periphery with regards to our

 History helps us understand OUR WORLD

 History helps us understand change and how the society we live in

 Based on your experiences, is the

PROCESS OR PATTERN OF HISTORY

The general concept of process or pattern of history can be categorized

Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that

Historiography, the writing of history, especially the writing of history

Historiography in the Philippines

Historiography of the Philippines refers to the studies, sources,

 What is your own understanding of pantayong

As an application of what you have learned, you will analyze early

The Laguna Copperplate Inscriptions*

Line 1: Hail! In the Saka-year 822; the month of March-April;

Line 2: Monday. At the time, Lady Angkatan together with their

Line 3: the child of His Honor Namwran, was given, as a special

Line 4: The former leader of Pailah, Jayadewah. To the effect that

Line 5: was totally cleared of debt to the amount of 1 kati and 8

Line 6: Kasumuran; His Honor the Leader of Pailah, namely:

Line 7: of Binwangan, namely: Bisruta. And (His Honor Namwran)

Line 8: representing the Chief of Mdang, because of his loyalty as a

Line 9: of His Honor Namwran have been cleared of the whole

Line 10: there is someone, whosoever, some time in the future,

*Translated by Antoon Postma

1. How this evidence shows the early society of our

Lesson Exercise (Quiz)

The Quiz in this section will be administered separately during in-

MODULE I. HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY

Lesson 2. Historical Sources and Criticism

In conducting research in the social sciences, humanities (especially

1. Evaluate primary sources for their credibility, authenticity, and

archival documents letters textbooks manuscript

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

Many sources can be considered either primary or secondary,

depending on the context in which they are examined. Moreover, the

Whether a source is regarded as primary or secondary in a given

Another example is when a document mentioning a lost

Primary and Secondary Sources

A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an

Examples of primary sources:

Table 1. Types of Primary Sources

Examples of secondary sources:

Table 2. Types of Secondary Sources

(universities, museums, government archives, etc.).

 What are the differences between primary and

1. When was the source, written or unwritten, produced (date)?

External and Internal Criticism

The sources available to the historian are primarily, but not

The purpose of external criticism is to assess the genuineness of

External Criticism Internal Criticism

A researcher was doing his research on the ancient laws of our

Question: The researcher in this scenario is engaged in what