COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course analyzes Philippine history from multiple perspectives

through the lens of selected primary sources coming from various
disciplines and of different genres.

Students are given opportunities to analyze the author’s background

and main arguments, compare different points of view, identify biases
and examine the evidences presented in the document. 

The discussions will tackle traditional topics in history and other

interdisciplinary themes that will deepen and broaden their
understanding of Philippine political, economic, cultural, social,
scientific and religious history. Priority is given to primary materials that
could help students develop their analytical and communication skills. 

The end goal is to develop the historical and critical consciousness of

the students so that they will become versatile, articulate,
broadminded, morally upright and responsible citizens.
 COURSE OUTCOMES (CO)
At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to:
1.  Evaluate primary sources for their credibility, authenticity, and provenance;
2.  Analyze the context, content, and perspective of the different kinds of primary sources; 
3.  Determine the contribution of the various primary sources in understanding Philippine
history
4.  Develop critical and analytical skills as they are exposed to primary sources;
5.  Demonstrate the ability to use primary sources that will enable them to argue in favor or
against a particular issue; 
6.  Effectively communicate, using various techniques and genres, their historical analysis
of a particular event or issue that could help other people understand the chosen topic;
7.  Propose recommendations and solutions to present day problems based on their own
understanding of their root causes, and their anticipation of future scenarios;
8.  Display the ability to work in a team and can contribute to a group project; and
9.  Manifest interest and concern in promoting and preserving our country’s national
patrimony and cultural heritage.
Why is it important to
study history?

What can we learn from

the past?
The English word history is derived from the
Greek word “istoia” meaning learning.

According to Aristotle, history is the systematic account of a

set of natural phenomena whether or not chronological
ordering was a factor in an account, and this is considered as
natural history.

As time passed, the equivalent Latin word “scientia”, which is

science in English later was used more to designate non-
chronological systematic accounts of phenomena.
Presently, the word “history” means

“past of
the 

mankind”. History is the study

of past events, particularly in human affairs.
History in German is “Geschichte”, meaning, “that
which has happened”. This means that the word
implies that history teaches and we may learn from the
lessons of history.
 With the definition of history, it brings man to a

recognition that history cannot be

reconstructed, that the past of mankind, much
of it, is beyond recall. And that even the best of our
memories cannot re-create our past.
The reconstruction of the total past of mankind
is the total goal of historians which, however, is

unattainable. Historians will

never really know everything that happened in
the past.
In reconstruction, only a part of what was observed is
remembered, only a part of what was
remembered is recorded, only a part of what
was recorded survives, only a part of what
survived comes to the HISTORIAN’S ATTENTION.
Only of a part of what is credible
has been grasped, only a part of
what has been grasped can be
expounded and NARRATED BY
THE HISTORIAN. 
The problem that every historian confronts is that the
evidence they rely on is likely to be fragmented, incomplete
and even contradictory. The result is, each historian’s
conclusions are influenced by the evidence they have
selected from what is available and from how they interpreted
it.

And from whatever a historian only has will be the only thing
that he can use to connect him to the past.
Historical Method
and Historical
Sources
 HISTORICAL METHOD
The process of critically examining and analyzing the records and survivals of the
past. 

To study objectively (intention of acquiring detached and truthful knowledge

independent of one’s personal reactions) a thing must first be an object and must
have an independent resistance outside the human mind). Most of history is based
on the human mind since most of history is based upon recollection (written or
spoken history).
 HISTORICAL SOURCES
     Objects from the past or

testimony concerning the past

which historians use to create their own
depiction of the past.
 1. According to Form
*Written Sources
     - Published materials (books, journals etc.) and manuscript
(handwritten and unprinted like archival materials and
memoirs)

Non written Sources

*

     -Oral history, artifacts, fossils, etc

 2. According to Origin
Primary Sources
    - Testimony of an eyewitness
 -It must have been produced by a contemporary
   that is narrated. It is a document or physical
of
object written or created during the time under
study. These sources were present during an
experience or time period and offer an inside view
of a particular event.
 KINDS OF PRIMARY SOURCES
Records of social and cultural observations
Chronicles
Human Fossils (remains of ancient man imbedded in the earth such
as bones, hair, skin etc.)
Artifacts ( cultural evidences of man in the past such as tools and
implements)
Records of Detective Investigations
Royal Decrees and Laws
Official Reports
Diaries, letters, interviews, photographs, newspapers
KINDS OF PRIMARY SOURCES
 Maps
 Memoirs or Autobiographies
 Personal accounts: record of interviews
 Newspapers and Magazines: reports of
correspondents
 Legislative journals
 Court Records
 2. According to Origin

Secondary Sources
     - Interpret and analyze primary sources
     - They are one or more steps removed from
the event. Examples are printed textbooks.
Historical Criticisms, Kinds of
Primary Sources and
Repositories of Primary
Sources
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
Settles matters on the form and
content of a source
 
External Criticism
     - Deals with the problem of authenticity
     - To spot hoaxes, fakes, forgeries and fabrications

     - Tests of Authenticity are:

          Determine the date if it is Anachronistic: a material, skill or culture does not

exist at that time

          Determine the author in the uniqueness of his handwriting or signature

          Determine the provenance or custody:  genuineness

          Determine the Semantics, meaning of a text or word

          Determine the Hermeneutics, the ambiguities

Internal Criticism
     - deals with the problem of credibility.
     - Tests of credibility are:
          Determine the Character of the Author, his
reliability, and his ability and willingness to tell the truth
          Determine the Corroboration, historical facts rest
upon the testimony of two or more reliable   witnesses
REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES

National
Archives of the
Philippines
 National
Library of the
Philippines
National Historical
Commission of the
Philippines
National Museum
of the Philippines
 Other Repositories of Primary Sources are the libraries of various
universities in the Philippines such as the University of the
Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila Rizal Library and Museum, the
American Historical Collection in ADMU, and the University of Sto.
Tomas Central Library and Museum.
What Skills Does a Student of History
Develop?
 The Ability to Assess Evidence.

The study of history builds experience in dealing with and assessing various kinds of
evidence—the sorts of evidence historians use in shaping the most accurate pictures of
the past that they can.

Learning how to interpret the statements of past political leaders—one kind of evidence
—helps form the capacity to distinguish between the objective and the self-serving
among statements made by present-day political leaders.
 Learning how to combine different kinds of evidence—
public statements, private records, numerical data, visual
materials—develops the ability to make coherent
arguments based on a variety of data. This skill can also be
applied to information encountered in everyday life.
 The Ability to Assess Conflicting Interpretations. 

Learning history means gaining some skill in sorting through diverse,

often conflicting interpretations. Understanding how societies work—
the central goal of historical study—is inherently imprecise, and the
same certainly holds true for understanding what is going on in the
present day. Learning how to identify and evaluate conflicting
interpretations is an essential citizenship skill for which history, as an
often-contested laboratory of human experience, provides training.  
 Experience in Assessing Past Examples of
Change. 

Experience in assessing past examples of change is vital to understanding

change in society today—it's an essential skill in what we are regularly told is
our "ever-changing world." Analysis of change means developing some
capacity for determining the magnitude and significance of change, for some
changes are more fundamental than others.
Historical study, in sum, is crucial
to the promotion of that elusive
creature, the well-informed
citizen.
 It provides basic factual information
about the background of our political
institutions and about the values and
problems that affect our social well-being.
 It also contributes to our capacity to
use evidence, assess
interpretations, and analyze
change and continuities.
 
 No one can ever quite deal with the present as the historian
deals with the past—we lack the perspective for this feat; but
we can move in this direction by applying historical habits of
mind, and we will function as better citizens in the process.
 
THANK YOU