Introduction to History:

Definition, Issues, Sources, and

Methodology
 Learning Outcomes:
 To understand the meaning of History as an academic discipline;

 To become familiar with the underlying philosophy and methodology of

the discipline;

 To appreciate the importance of History in the social and national life of

the Philippines
Guess what?
 History
 Has derived from the Greek word Historia, which means “knowledge
acquired through inquiry or investigation”.
 It existed for around 2,400 years ago as a discipline.
 Historia became known as the account of the past , of a person or of a
group of people through written documents and historical evidences.
 History was focused on writing about wars, revolutions, and other
important breakthroughs
 “no document, no history”
 It means that, unless a written document can prove a certain historical
event, then it cannot be considered as a historical fact.

 What about those civilizations that do not keep historical records?

 Questions and Issues in History
 What is history?
 Why study history?
 And history for whom?
 Historiography
 It is the history of history

 It answers the questions:

How was a certain historical text written?
Who wrote it?
What was the context of its publication?
What particular historical method employed?
What were the sources used?
 Why study history?
 States use history to unite a nation.
 It can be used as a tool to legitimize regimes and forge a sense of
collective memory.
 Lessons in the past can be used to make sense of the present.
 Learning of past mistakes can help people to not repeat them.
 Being reminded of a great past can inspire people to keep their good
practices to move forward.
 School of thought in history
1. Positivism. A school of thought that emerged between the 18th and 19th
century. This thought requires empirical observable evidence evidence
before one can claim that a particular knowledge is true.
2. Postcolonialism. A school of thought that emerged in the early 20th
century when formerly colonized nations grappled with the idea of
creating their identities and understanding their societies against the
shadows of their colonial past.
 Historical Sources
 One of the most important research tools of a Historian.

 Types:
1. Primary Sources. Are those sources produced at the same time as the
event, period, or subject being studied.
2. Secondary Sources. Are sources which were produced by an author who
used primary sources to produced the material.
 Historical Methodology
 Internal Criticisms. It is the examination of the truthfulness of the
evidence. It looks at the content of the source and examines the
circumstance of its production.

 External Criticisms. It is the practice of verifying the authenticity of

evidence by examining its physical characteristics; consistency with the
historical characteristic of the time when it was produced; and the
materials used for the evidence.
God Bless and keep Safe!!!