Universidad de Zamboanga

School of Education Arts, and Sciences

Perseverance and Selfless Service

READING IN PHILIPPINE
HISTORY

Lesson 1 : History Definitions, Issues, Sources,

and Methodology
Michelle Yenko Mohammad
June 2016 to present
UZ – SEAS Faculty member
Michellemohammad@uz.edu.ph
09659233896
https://www.facebook.com/michelleyenko

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History is –

∙ Always known as the study of the past, with special attention to the written record.

∙ Was derived from the Greek word historia which means “information” or an inquiry designed to elicit truth”.

∙ It has existed for around 2,400 years and as old as mathematics and philosophy. Herodotus of Halicarnassus
has generally been acclaimed as the “father of history”.

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Questions and Issues in History
Why study history? And history for whom?

• Historiography is the history of history.

- The object of study is history itself. It attempts to answer several questions such as “how was a certain historical text
written? And what were the sources used?
- Historiography lets you better understand history.

 
• You, as students of history must not only be a recipient of historical facts but should question historical
facts based on the different historians’ contexts.
 
 
• Relevance of History
-
-
.
States use history to unite a nation.
It can be used to make sense of the present.
- Past mistakes can help people to not repeat them.

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Schools of Thought in History
Positivism –
emerged between the eighteenth and nineteenth century, which requires empirical and observable
evidence before one can claim that a particular knowledge is true. Historians who adhere to this must
be objective and impartial in their arguments and in their conduct of historical research.

Postcolonialism –
emerged in the early twentieth century. Postcolonial history looks at two things in writing history: first
to tell the history of their nation that will highlight their identity free from the colonial discourse and
knowledge, and second is to criticize the methods, effects and idea of colonialism.
 
History and the Historian –
It is the historian’s job to seek historical evidences and facts and interpret these facts.

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• Historical methodology – comprises certain techniques and rules that historians follow in order to
properly utilize sources and historical evidences in writing history. (e.g. corroborating the key informant
claims with written sources)
 
•Sources of Historical Data
a. Published documents – include books, census, newspapers, government records, pamphlets, posters, laws and
court transcripts
b. Unpublished documents – include diaries, journals, school report cards, business ledgers, and letters
c. Oral traditions – examples are celebrating harvest, stories, and riddles
d. Visual documents and articles – include films, painting, and photographs

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Kinds of Historical Sources

1. Primary source – is defined “as a piece of evidence written or created during the period under
investigation. (e.g. documents, archival materials, letters)
• can be an eyewitness account or a firsthand account of a particular event.
• can also be unwritten such as artifacts (e.g. Manunggul Jar, colonial churches, clothes or
jewelries.
• an individual’s firsthand account of a particular event such as memoirs can be a primary
source.
• other examples are photographs, films, recordings (audio and video)

2. Secondary source – are works produced after the event has taken place.
• usually an assessment or a commentary of events, people, or institutions of the past
• often uses primary sources for aforementioned purpose. e.g. books
• other examples are textbooks, monographs, essays, articles, thesis and dissertations, and
papers read in conferences.

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•Historical Method
- Primary sources are subjected to historical method, which are composed of:

External criticism – aims at checking the authenticity of primary source by examining its physical
characteristics such as (a) consistency with the historical characteristic of the time when it was produced and (b)
the materials used for the evidence.
- Includes examining the quality of paper, the type of ink, and the language and words used in the
material.

Internal criticism – is the examination of the truthfulness of the evidence by looking into the content of the
source and examining the circumstance of its production. This looks into the truthfulness and factuality of the
evidence by looking at the author of the source, its context, the agenda behind the creation, the knowledge
which informed it, and its intended purpose.

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•References:

•Candelaria, J.L. et. al. (2018). Readings in Philippine History. Rex Book Store. Manila.
 
•Camagay, M.L. et al. (2018). Unraveling the Past. Vibal Group, Inc.
 
•Halili, M.C. (2010). Philippine History. Rex Book Store, Inc.

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