Module 1

Understanding History

GE002
READINGS IN
PHILIPPINE HISTORY
MARIA LINDA C. VERDADERO, LPT
INSTRUCTOR

I. MODULE OVERVIEW

This module gives an introduction on history and its relevance to modern day lives. You
will be familiarized with the nature and sources of historical materials.
Further, you will learn to analyze the sources whether it is primary and secondary
sources. A deeper understanding of the Philippine History will help to inculcate nationalism
among college students.

II. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the module, you are expected to:

1. define what history is;

2. determine the relevance of history to mankind;
3. discuss the nature of history;
4. Identify the primary and secondary sources in understanding Philippine history; and
5. Analyze the context, content, and perspective of different kinds of primary sources.
III. INPUT INFORMATION
UNDERSTANDING HISTORY
Introduction
Sociologists have defined history as the study of life in society in the past, in all its
aspects, in relation to present developments and future hopes. It focuses on the story of man in
time, an inquiry into the past based on valid evidences. Indeed, it thrives on the evidence which
validates the authentically and credibility of an event.
History informs the present generation of events that happened in the past, when it
happened, and how it happened. It is an injury into the inevitable changes in human affairs in
the past and the ways these changes affect, influence or determine the patterns of life in the
society. A year or even decades under the hands of colonizers will have a great effect on the
colonized country and its people.
History is aimed at helping students to understand the existing social, political, religious
and economic conditions of the people. History will tell the reasons why Japanese are wary of
the nuclear bombs, how countries Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia and other former members
of the Russian Federation gained their independence, and when East and West Germany joined
together.
History explains the background of our religion, customs and tradition, among others.
Filipinos were not Christians immediately. Churches did not spring from nowhere. Our ancestors
did not wear the baro’t saya in the early days. The teaching of history aids the students to
explain the present, to analyse it and to trace its course. The cause-and-effect relationship
between the past and the present is clearly explained in history.
MEANING OF HISTORY
The term history was derived from Greek word ‘historia’ which means inquiry or
knowledge acquired from investigation. History is the study of the past as it is described in
written documents. It provides the analysis and interpretation of the human past enabling us to
study continuity and changes that take place over time.
Below are other definitions provided by various historians:
“History is the record of what one age finds worthy of note in another.”- Burckhardt

“History”, in its broadest sense, is everything that ever happened.”- Henry Johnson

“The value and interest of history depend largely on the degree in which the present is
illuminated by the past.” – V.S. Smith

“History is the story of man’s struggle through the ages against Nature and the
elements; wild beasts and the jungle and some of his own kind who have tried to
keep him down and to exploit him for their own benefit.” – Jawaharal Nehru
In general, history provides us significant records of events of the past,
a meaningful story of mankind depicting the details of what happened to man
and why it happened.
NATURE OF HISTORY

To better understand history, it is essential to determine its very nature.

1. History is a study of the present in the light of the past. The present owes its existence
on the past. To understand how society has come to its present form, there is a need to know
its past. One cannot just leapfrog and ignore what happened in the past. The past events
need to be unearthed to reveal how the present evolved out of it.

2. History is the study of man. As one historian deals with man’s struggles through the ages.
Past events are riddled with man’s engagement in wars, his struggles to win his
independence. History traces the fascinating story of how man has developed through the
ages, how man has studied to use and control his environment and how the present
institutions have grown out of the past.

3. History is concerned with man in time. It deals with a series of events and each event
happens at a given point in time. History dwells on the human development in time.

4. History is concerned with man in space. History talks about nations and human activities
in the context of their physical and geographical environment. It centers on the interaction of
man on his environment and vice-versa.
5. History provides an object records of happenings. Historians are careful on the data they
include in their books. They base their data on original sources and make them free from
subjective interpretation.

6. History is multisided. History is not limited to one certain aspect of man’s life. it covers all
other aspects as they are all closely interrelated. A change in politics could have an effect in
other aspects of the society.

7. History is a dialogue between the events of the past and progressively emerging future
ends. Past events are interpreted and become predictor of new objectives.

8. History is not only narration but it is also an analysis. History is not confines with
narrative accounts. It dissects and explains the occurrence of the event and how it ultimately
changes the society over time.

9. Continuity and coherence are the necessary requisites of history. History monitors the
development of the society, from generation to generation, after series of event, justifying the
essence of continuity.

10. History is relevant. In the study of history, only significant events which have influenced the
society are covered and essential to the understanding of the present life.

11. History is comprehensive. History is not limited to one period or to one country alone. It
deals with all aspects of human life—political, social, economic, religious, literary, aesthetic,
and physical, giving a clear picture of global linkage.

JUST THINK ...

Discuss salient points why history is being thought in basic education?

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RELEVANCE OF HISTORY

Truly, history is very useful not only to the students but also to every individual from different
walks of life. Here are some functions of history.

1. History helps us understand people and societies. Understanding the culture of a

particular race is difficult without looking back at its history. Experiences in the past play in
shaping the society. Countless revolution, alliances, and elections influence how people act and
behave. Studying history will allow us to figure out why the Puritans left England in the 14th
century, why the Jews hated Adolf Hitler that much, and how the Palestine struggle for
recognition until now.

2. History contributes to moral understanding. Studying the struggles of heroes in the

past or of people who defied adversities can serve as inspiration. A study of the past can
provide lessons in courage, diligence or constructive protest. Mahatma Gandhi and Corazon
Aquino set good examples of peaceful revolution.

3. History provides identity. Historical data include evidence about how families, race
institutions and countries were formed and how they evolved while retaining cohesion. History
provides facts about genealogy and a basis for understanding how the family has interacted
with larger historical change.

4. Studying history is essential for good citizenship. Knowing where your ancestors
came from and their struggles for freedom is a source of pride for any individual. History
provides data about the emergence of national institutions, problems and values. It offers
evidence also about how nations have interacted with other societies, providing international
and perspectives essential for responsible citizenship. Studying history encourages habits of
mind that are vital for responsible public behaviour, whether as a community leader, an informed
voter, a petitioner, or a simple observer.

5. History is useful in the world of work. History helps create good business people,
professionals and political leaders. Knowledge in history is unquestionably an asset for a variety
of work and professional situations. By studying different phases of the past and different
societies in the past, it gives jobseekers the range and flexibility required in many work
situations. Migrant workers, for instance, are oriented about the country where they will work
prior their departure. Political leaders likewise need to understand the past of their constituents
and the milieu where they plan to govern.
WHY STUDY HISTORY?
Dizon et. Al., (2011) citing Perry (1999) enumerated the reasons why we need to study history,
these are:

1. To learn about the past. Studying history enables us to learn about the lives of our
ancestors, their struggles and achievements. What we have and what we enjoy today are the
products of their innovation, hardwork and sacrifices.

2. To understand the present. The traditions, system of government, cultural heritage and
many other things are product of the past. Most of the things have historical original and not just
products of fads and crazes.

3. To appreciate our heritage in a broad perspective. Our belief system, patriarchal tradition,
common values including our material culture can be understood and appreciated well if we
have full understanding of our past.

3. To acquire a background for critical thinking. The issues, situations, and challenges
that our country is presently facing can mostly be attributed in the past, for these are
encountered before, history provides us details to understand, predict and provide solutions to
these.

RELATIONSHIP OF HISTORY WITH OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCES

1. History and Political Science

One cannot understand the principles and system of government of a certain country
without knowing its history. The structure of government, the rights and duties of citizens, laws
and regulations, and its relations to other states are all products of evolution by just turning the
pages of the countries past.

2. History and Economics

The evolution of economic activities of humankind from hunting and gathering societies
to post-industrial society can be best understood by looking at the past. The root of economic
and diplomatic relations between nations can be traced by looking at their distant past.

3. History and Sociology

Early societies and communities, evolution of culture, social change and other developments in
social behavior are chronologically explained by history.
4. History and Ethics
History provides record of mistakes committed by people and nations. Mistakes in the past have
moral and ethical implication which serves as guide to arrive at just, reasonable and acceptable
actions in the future.

5. History and Psychology

Psychology provides understanding of motives and actions of human and societies. History
gives us idea about the behavior of controversial leaders in the past and their actins. Through
analogy, it is possible to predict behavior and actions of present leaders. History, therefore, pro
vides public consciousness that enables the people to be vigilant to the possible wrongdoings of
their leaders.

6. History and Geography

According to NationalGeographic.com “when learning about historical topics, it can be very
helpful to simultaneously study a region’s geography.” This works the same with geography
as well. Certain areas of the Philippines provide clear explanation why significant events I the
past such as why Americans put up military facilities in Corregidor during World War II or why
Americans developed Baguio City during their early settlement and that is due to its cold
weather where Americans are used to it.

JUST THINK …

On a personal note, how did history help you to become who you are? Describe some
instances where history plays an important role on you.

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CLASSIFICATIONS OF HISTORICAL SOURCES

Historical sources may be classified as primary or secondary (Fox, 1969). A primary source of
data is regarded as the source of the “best evidence.” This is because data come from the
testimony of able eye and eye witness of the past events. They may also consist of actual
objects used in the past which you can directly scrutinize or examine. Secondary source are
information supplied by a person who was not direct observer or participant of the event, object
or condition (Sevilla et. al., 1962).
Primary Sources

In the study of history as an academic discipline, the use of primary sources is necessary. A
primary source provides direct or first-hand evidence about an event, an object, a person, or
a work of art. These primary sources provide the original materials on which other research is
based and enable students and other researchers to get as close as possible to what actually
happened during as long as they come from the time period that is being discussed, and were
written or produced by someone with first-hand experience of the event.

Examples of primary sources include autobiographies and memoirs; diaries, personal letters,
and correspondence; interviews, surveys, and fieldwork; internet communications on email,
blogs, listservs, and newsgroups; photographs, drawings, and posters; works of art and
literature; books, magazines and newspapers articles and ads published at the time; public
opinion polls; speeches and oral histories; original documents such as birth certificates, property
deeds, and trial transcripts; research data such as census statistics; official and unofficial
records of organizations and government agencies; artifacts of all
kinds, such as tools, coins, clothing, furniture; audio recording, DVDs and video recording;
government documents (reports, bills proclamations, hearings); patents; technical reports; and
scientific journal articles reporting experimental research results.

History as an academic discipline heavily relies on primary sources, as evaluated by a

community of scholars, who report their findings in books, articles and papers. As one historian
says, “Primary sources are absolutely fundamental to history.” Generally, a historian capitalizes
on all available primary sources that were created by the people involved at the time being
studied. In reality, some sources have been destroyed, while others are not available for
research. Remember, printing press was invented way back in 14th century and
was introduced in most countries at the end of that century. The most reliable eyewitness eports
of an event may be memoirs, autobiographies, or oral interviews taken years or even centuries
ago. Manuscripts that are sources for classical texts can be copes of documents, or fragments
of copies of documents. For this reason, history is usually taught in schools using secondary
sources.

Arguably many primary sources are withheld by private individuals or groups, others are
available in archives, libraries, museum, historical societies, and special collections. These can
be public and private. Some are affiliated with universities and colleges, while others are
government entities.

Historians who are into publishing academic articles with fresh or new perspectives
prefer to go back to available primary sources and to seek new ones. Primary sources, be it
accurate or not, offer new inputs into historical questions and most modern history dwells on
archives and special collections for the purpose of finding useful primary sources. A work on
history is not likely to be taken seriously as scholarship if it only cites secondary sources, as it
does not indicate that original research has been done.

In scholarly writing, it is essential to classify the sources to determine its independence

and reliability. In context such as historical writing, it is indeed advisable to use primary sources
but in the absence of one, the author may use the secondary sources with great caution.
JUST THINK.. .
How will you classify the tell-tale of the old generations about the Philippine history?

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DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRIMARY SOURCES

Literary or Cultural Sources

● Novels, plays, poems (both published and in manuscript form)
● Television shows, movies, or videos
● Paintings or photographs

Accounts that describe events, people, or ideas

● Newspapers
● Chronicles or historical accounts
● Essays and speeches
● Memoirs, diaries, journals, and letters
● Philosophical treatises or manifestos

Information about people

● Census records
● Obituaries
● Newspaper articles
● Biographies and autobiographies

Finding information about a place

● Maps and atlases
● Census information
● Statistics
● Photographs
● City directories
● Local libraries or historical societies

Finding information about an organization

● Archives (sometimes held by libraries, institutions, or historical societies)
Three Types of Written Sources
1. Narrative sources or literary sources tell a story or message. These include diaries, films,
biographies, leading philosophical works and scientific works.
2. Diplomatic sources include charters and other legal documents which observe a set format.
3. Social documents are records created by organization, such as register of births and tax
records.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources generally describe, discuss, comment upon, analyse, evaluate,

summarize,
and process primary sources. These secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers
or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in scholarly journals that discuss
or evaluate someone else’s original research.

In historiography, when a study of history is subject to historical scrutiny, a secondary

source becomes a primary source. The historian’s publication can likewise be a primary source.
Documentary films are considered secondary or primary sources depending on how much the
film maker modifies the original source.

Whether a source is regarded as primary or secondary in a given context may change,

depending upon the present state of knowledge within the field. For example, if a document
refers to the contents of a previous but undiscovered letter, that document may be considered
‘primary’, since it is the closest known thing to an original source, but if the letter is later found, it
may then be considered ‘secondary’.

In some instances, the reason for identifying a text as the ‘primary source’ may devolve
from the fact that no copy of the original source material exists, or that it is the oldest extant
source for the information cited

Secondary Sources are as follows:

1. Books including dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, etc.
2. Articles published in professional journal, magazines, newspapers and other publications.
3. Unpublished master’s theses and dissertations and other studies
4. Monographs, manuscripts, etc.
5. All other second-hand sources.
6. Verbal and written data.

JUST THINK.. .
In all the learning abut the Philippine History, what sources did you use?
How are these resources able to help you in understanding the historical facts?

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INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CRITICISM

External criticism refers to the genuineness of the documents a researcher used in historical
study. Questions that illustrate external criticism include:
● Who was the author and what was his/her qualifications, personality and position?
● How soon after the events was the document written?
● How was the document was written and is it related to other documents?

On the other hand, internal criticism is textual criticism. It involves factor such as competence,
good faith, position and bias of the author (Sanchez, 1980).
Internal criticism looks at the content of the document to determine its authenticity. It also
involves determining the intention of the source of data while external criticism conducts
document analysis using science. It applies physical and technical test to the documents.
To simplify, the authenticity of the documents is determined by external criticism, whereas
credibility is established by internal criticism.

REFERENCES
Corpuz, R. M. & Tabotabo, C. V. (2018). Readings in Philippine history. Manila, PH: Mindshaper
Co., Inc.
Martinez, R. M., Guimpatan _ Bumidang, J., Tabayan, D. B., Fragat, R. D. L., Viloria, M. T.,
Jaymalin—
Dulay, M. & Cristobal, J. M. (2018). The readings in Philippine history. Manila, PH: Mindshaper
Co., Inc.
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