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Understanding History and Its Importance

This document defines history and discusses its key aspects. It begins by defining history as the study of past human activities and events based on written documents and evidence. It then describes three dimensions of history: 1) Its focus on human activities, distinguishing it from theology or myths. 2) As a field of inquiry within social sciences. 3) Its concern with understanding the past. The document discusses sources of history, including primary and secondary sources, and how historians evaluate credibility. It notes the importance of studying history to understand national identity and draw lessons from the past.

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42 views21 pages

Understanding History and Its Importance

This document defines history and discusses its key aspects. It begins by defining history as the study of past human activities and events based on written documents and evidence. It then describes three dimensions of history: 1) Its focus on human activities, distinguishing it from theology or myths. 2) As a field of inquiry within social sciences. 3) Its concern with understanding the past. The document discusses sources of history, including primary and secondary sources, and how historians evaluate credibility. It notes the importance of studying history to understand national identity and draw lessons from the past.

Uploaded by

joshuacorregidor15
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MA. REGINA B.

BABON
INSTRUCTOR, DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND
SCIENCES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
• Define history;
• Describes the uses or importance of history;
• Identify the sources of history; and
• Explain the major views or philosophies in
the study of history
Definition and Subject Matter
• History was derived from the Greek word historia,
which means knowledge acquired through inquiry
or investigation.
• History has existed for around 2, 400 years and is
as old as mathematics and philosophy
• Historia became known as the account of the past
of a person or a group of people through written
documents and historical evidence.
History can refer two things
• First, history relates to everything that had happened in
the past
• Second, history also refers to a kind of research or
inquiry.
History can be broken down
into three dimensions
I. First is history’s focus on
human activities.
• This focus makes it different from, say, theology.
• History is also different from myths or legends.
• Before the rise of the Ancient Greek civilization, older
civilizations like the early Mesopotamian and Sumerian
civilizations did not have a notion of history as a record of
human activities.
• Instead, their history takes the form of theocratic history.
Historians call this kind of history quasi-history.
II. History, as a field of inquiry
• Generally falls in the sciences, particularly to the
social sciences.
• As in other scientific disciplines, history seeks to
answer questions.
• Rational findings and conclusions.
III. History is
concerned with the past
• More concerned with the present, such as political science,
economics, and sociology
• Prescribing answers or solutions to pressing issues and
problems of today.
Who is the father of history?
He has sometimes been labeled “the father of lies” because of
his tendency to report fanciful information. Much of the
information that others subsequently reported about him is
just a fanciful and some of it vindictive or blatantly absurd,
yet it is interesting and therefore worth reporting. He himself
reported dubious information of it was interesting sometimes
adding his own opinion about its reliability

HERODOTUS
(404 B.C- 425 B.C)
Is it true if
No Document, No History?
HISTORY
vs
HISTORIOGRAPHY
HISTORY
History’s object of study is the past
itself

HISTORIOGRAPHY
Is the history of history
Evaluation of Sources
• Credibility
• Authenticity
• Provenance
HISTORICAL SOURCES
PRIMARY SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES
PRIMARY SOURCES
• are original records of a certain event
by people who have actually experienced or
witnessed it.
SECONDARY SOURCES
• on the other hand, are records based on primary
sources. They explain a certain event of the past
through evaluation and interpretation of the
records created during a historical period.
EXTRNAL CRITICISM
AND
INTERNAL CRITICISM
EXTERNAL CRITICISM

Historians determine the authenticity of sources


by examining the date, locale, creator, analysis
and integrity of the historical sources.
INTERNAL CRITICISM

as it helps the historians determine the credibility of


the source. It studies the content of the source to
know its truthfulness.
Why do we need to
study Philippine History again?

In elementary Basic background facts


(what, who, where, and when)

In high school Historical details


(how)

In college Historical analysis


(why)
Why do we need to
study Philippine History again?

1. States used history to unite a nation.


2. History gives us our collective identity.
3. Lessons from the past can be used to
make sense of the present.
4. Learning from the past mistakes can help
us not to repeat them.

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