READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Academic Year 2021-2022

DISCUSSION FORUM 2

Kindly answer these questions briefly and concisely.

1. The Primary sources are those created simultaneously as the event, era, or subject being
researched. Since certain crucial circumstances are not documented or included in
publications, primary materials are vital in tracking historical periods in the Philippines.
These sources are essential for historians because they provide insight into how people in
those days interpreted or internalized what they witnessed, their place or relevance in
history, and knowledge from the perspectives of historical witnesses. For instance, there
have been reports of undocumented occurrences under martial law that were omitted or
not included in books. The only access to determine its authenticity is through footage,
interviews, or other first-hand material from people who witnessed the events. Other
sources will be dismissed in the absence of primary material.
2. We need to learn history from primary sources because it will connect us to key historical
events and provide us with a richer and deeper understanding of history. Primary sources
are valuable because they frequently give crucial information that is not widely available.
Because they are the ones who witness an event, primary resources can at least ensure the
authenticity and credibility of the details. However, as students or researchers, we must
employ critical thinking and analysis abilities while dealing with primary materials.
Learning history from these sources will help us know more naturally and orderly than
reading history from textbooks. Since textbooks have been modified and critiqued, they
have become more thorough and full of various information.
3. The advantages of primary sources are that you can be positive that the content is
original, that nothing has been modified, and that all bits of information are intact
because it is first-hand material. They are present at the moment of the event they are
writing about and are in a better position to know what indeed occurred. Next, the
opportunity to gain knowledge, skills, and analytical abilities is an advantage of having
access to primary sources. This will encourage people to conduct their research rather
than relying on information provided to them. In this regard, the disadvantage of primary
sources is that they might be inadequate or useless. Because knowledge may not be
complete in a single material, it is necessary to assess and examine further. Also, because
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Academic Year 2021-2022

significant historical events occurred a long time ago, there may be situations where the
information is inaudible or obscure owing to poor quality. Furthermore, these sources can
be subject to biases as they can only testify according to their point of view and
experience.