CHAPTER 1

THE MEANING OF HISTORY,

SOURCES OF HISTORICAL DATA, &
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
.
 LESSON 1
THE MEANING OF
HISTORY
 is derived from the Greek word historia, which
HISTORY means learning by inquiry.

The systematic accounting of a set of natural

phenomena, that is, taking into consideration
the chronological arrangement of the account.

The word History is referred usually for accounts of phenomena,

especially human affairs in chronological order.
THEORIES CONSTRUCTED BY HISTORIANS
IN INVESTIGATING HISTORY
o Factual history – presents readers the
plain and basic information vis-à-vis the
events that took place (what), the time
and date which the events happened
(when), the place where events were took
place, and the people that were involved
(who).

o Speculative history – goes beyond facts

because it is concerned about the reasons
for which event happened (why), and the
way they happened (how).
 TERMINILOGIES

• Historiography – the practice of historical writing

• History- as – actuality- the whole history of the past
• History – as- record – the surviving records
• Versimilitude – the truth, authenticity, plausibility

• Historical Method – the process of critically examining and

analyzing the records and survivals of the past
• Historiography –the imaginative reconstruction of the past
from the data derived by that process is called historiography
Historical analysis is also important
element of historical method. In
historical analysis, historians:

1. Select the subject to investigate

2.Collect probable sources of
information on the subject
3. Examine the sources genuineness, in
part of in whole
4.Extract credible “particulars” form the
sources ( or past sources)
Give a concise explanation/discussion
on the following question.

1. How important historical writings are

to a person, group/race, and country?
Explain.
LESSON 2 HISTORICAL DATA
• Historical Data – sourced from
artifacts that have been left by
the past.

• Historical sources – are those

materials from which the
historians construct meaning.

• A source is an object from the

past or a testimony concerning
the past on which historians
depend to create their own
depiction of that past.
These artifacts can
either be relics or
remains, or
testimonies from
the witnesses to the
past.
Relics – or “ remains” whose
existence offer researchers a
clue about the past.
Examples : the relics of remains
of prehistoric settlement , a
coin, ruin, stamp, piece of hair,
a piece of wreckage et,.
These objects, however, are never the happenings or
the vents; if written documents, they may be the
results or the records of events. Whether artifacts or
documents, they are materials out of which history
may be written.
Testimonies of the
witnesses – whether oral or
written may have been
created to serve as a record.

All these describe an event,

such as the record of
property exchange,
speeches, and
commentaries.
 WRITTEN SOURCES OF HISTORY
• Narrative or Literature – are chronicles or tracts
presented in narrative form, written to impart a message
whose motives for their composition vary widely. For
example, a scientific tract, a newspaper article might be
intended to shape opinion, personal narrative such as diary,
and a novel or film to persuade the audience.

• Diplomatic sources – are understood to be those which

documents or records existing legal situation or create a new
one. A legal document is usually sealed or authenticated to
provide evidence in legal transaction.

• Social documents- are information pertaining to

economic, social, political or judicial significance. Example:
government reports, municipal accounts, civil registry reports,
property registry, and records of cencus.
NON- WRITTEN SOURCES OF HISTORY

Material evidences- also known as

archaeological evidence is one of the most
important unwritten evidences.
Examples: pottery, jewelry, dwellings, graves,
churches, roads, and others that tell story about
the past.

Oral evidence- is also an important source of

information for historians. Much are told by the
tales or sagas of ancient people or folk songs or
popular rituals.
PRIMARY SOURCES VS SECONDARY SOURCES

PRIMARY SOURCES – are original, first-hand account of an

event or period that are usually written or made during or close
to the event or period. Examples of primary sources are diaries,
journals, letters, newspaper, magazine articles, government
records, photographs, maps, posters, etc

SECONDARY SOURCES – are materials made by people long

after the events being described had taken place to provide
valuable interpretations of historical events. Examples are
biographies, histories, literary criticisms, books written by a
third party newspaper or articles that are interpret.