RPH - Prelims (Chapter 1)

LESSON 1

History - the study of past events. It helps us understand: culture, society and heritage. Its how
past events influence the present and future.

- Greek words that signifies “to see” and “to know”

○ Greek term emerged which initially signified “the act of seeking knowledge” and
“knowledge resulting from inquiry”
○ However, the term soon emerged to mean “accounts of events compiled after
conducting inquiries”

History’s Relevance to the Present Time and Its Influence to Humanity’s Future

1. It promotes self-understanding. History helps people understand their unique heritage.

2. It helps assess current values and achievements by comparing them with the past.
3. It develops tolerance by teaching people to accept differences.
4. It helps resolve current social and individual problems by promoting self-understanding,
assessing values, and developing tolerance.
5. It fosters nationalism by creating a sense of unity among people.

Relevance of History

1 History helps us understand people and societies.

[Link] contributes to moral understanding
3. Histiry provides identity identity.
4. Studying is essential for good citizen.
5, History is useful in the world of work.

One key factor is decision-making. History helps people learn from past mistakes and make
informed decisions.
As Winston Churchill said, "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it". Thus,
not learning from the past can actually lead to repeating the same mistakes, which consequently
hinder the person or the society's progress.

Sources of History
History is based on evidence.

Three Types of Sources

1. Primary Sources
These are original or first-hand records made during the event.

Examples:

● Diaries
● Letters
● Government documents
● Photographs
● Maps
● Speeches
● Artifacts
● Interviews

Keyword: Original evidence

2. Secondary Sources
These are interpretations or analyses based on primary sources.

Examples:

● Textbooks
● Journals
● Biographies
● Encyclopedias
● Research papers

Keyword: Interpretation
External Criticism - practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence by examining its physical
characteristics.

Internal Criticism - the examination of truthfulness/factuality of the evidence by looking at the

author of the source, context and the agenda behind its creation, the knowledge which informed
it and its intended purpose.

● Positive Criticism - to determine whether the source used words in its literal meaning or
as a “sense of word”
● Negative Criticism - historical sources often contradict each other; thus, it is very
important to determine the element of truth contained in the source and eliminate the
false, forged, and/ or fabricated claims.

3. Tertiary Sources - publication that summarizes and digest the info in primary and secondary
sources to provide background on a topic, idea or event.

Examples: encyclopedia and biographical dictionaries.

Value of Learning History:

1. Discipline - History requires focus and self-control.

2. Knowledge - History is a source of information that can guide in solving various
problems.
3. Appreciation of Heritage - History helps understand one's culture, customs, and
traditions.
4. Intellectual Acumen - History is a mental exercise that develops love for reading,
understanding, critical thinking, memory, and logical reasoning.
5. Political - Studying history helps shape political opinions and motivates active
participation in society.

Historiography
Definition:

● The writing of history.

● It involves collecting, studying, interpreting, and presenting historical events.
- It enables learners to critically analyze history, identify biases, and understand how
these biases may have influenced the recording and interpretation of a historical period.
It uncovers factual recordings hidden behind the fiction of a historical period and
provides an overall perspective of people in a specific time period and the reasons for
their viewpoints.

Historiography also examines:

● Different interpretations
● Methods used by historians
 ● Biases in historical writing

Easy to remember:
History = Past events

Historiography = Writing and interpreting history

Versimilitude - a term that comes from two Latin words: 'verum' which means truth, and similis'
which means similar.

- This term is used to describe something that appears to be true or real. It is a concept
that is used in writing, both in fiction and non-fiction, to make sure that the information
presented is believable and persuasive.

LESSON 2
Before believing a source, historians evaluate it.

Ask these questions:

● Who wrote it?

● Why was it written?
● When was it written?
● Is it reliable?
● Is there bias?
● Is it supported by evidence?

How to Analyze a Source

Contextual Analysis - is when things around the information are looked at to better understand
the situation or environment in which the information was created.
- It is like looking at where and when the information was made, who made it, and why it
was made.

Content Analysis - is when the actual information itself is examined.

- It is like reading a book and understanding what the words are saying. This helps to
understand the main ideas, themes, or messages in the information.

Basic Parts of Source Analysis

Origin
- Who created the information?
- What kind of information is this historical source?
Context
- When, was the information created?
- What important event happened at the time the information was created?
- What is the perspective of this information?
Audience
- Who are the intended people the information was originally created for?
Motive
- What is the purpose of creating the information?
Importance or Relevance of the Information
- What information or message are directly stated or conveyed within the source itself?
- What underlying or inferred message, ideas, or implications can be inferred or deduced
from the content of the source.?
- How is this information related to other events that happened in about the same time?
How did this information corroborate or contradict related sources?
Biases
- What biases or perspectives might be present in the source which can influence the
content or interpretation of the information provided?

LESSON 3
Historical Method - refers to the strategies and techniques that historians employ to study and
interpret the past. It serves as a blueprint for conducting historical inquiries and crafting
historical narratives.

Usefulness of Historical Method

•it can help solve the problems people face today;

• it helps to make sense of things that keep on happening;
• it provides an understanding of why different cultures do certain things and what happens
because of it;
• it makes people check old facts and information in order to make sure that these are correct.
Steps Historians Follow:

1. Identify the historical problem.

2. Gather historical sources.
3. Evaluate the sources.
4. Analyze and interpret evidence.
5. Present historical conclusions.

LESSON 4 :

Kinds of Primary Sources

Written Documents: Things like diaries, letters, speeches, and records from the government.
These things show what people were thinking and feeling, and how things worked a long time
ago.

Visual Materials: Things like photographs, paintings, and videos. These things show what
people, places, and things looked like in the past.

Artifacts: Things that people made and used, like coins, clothes, buildings, and tools. These
things show what people's lives were like.

Oral Histories and Interviews: Stories that people tell about what they remember. These stories
can give more details about what happened.

Statistical Data: Numbers and information from things like census records and surveys. These
things can show what big groups of people were like.

Digital Content: Things on the internet, like social media posts and blogs. These things show
what people think and do now.

Types of Repositories

Archives: These are like big storage rooms for official records from governments, organizations,
and individuals.

Libraries: Libraries do not just have books. They also have collections of primary sources. Some
libraries have rare books, while others have old newspapers and manuscripts.

Museums and Historical Sovieties: These places have objects from the past like artifacts,
documents, and photographs.

Online Databases: These are like digital libraries on the internet. They have digital copies of
primary sources.
Acessing Primary Sources

In-person Access: Visiting the repository offers the most comprehensive experience, allowing
researchers to examine materials firsthand. This may involve following specific procedures and
accessing specialized facilities.

Online Resources: Many repositories offer digital collections that can be accessed remotely.
These resources can provide valuable insights, though limitations may exist due to copyright
restrictions or incomplete digitization.

Interlibrary Loan: Libraries can often obtain materials from other institutions for their patrons,
expanding access to resources beyond local collections.

Examples of Repositories of Primary Sources in the Philippines:

National Archives of the Philippines: This is home to about 60 million documents from the
centuries of the Spanish rule in the Philippines, the American and Japanese occupations, as
well as the years of the Republic.

National Library of the Philippines: This is the official national library of the Philippines. It
neighbors other culturally significant buildings such as the Museum of Philippine Political History
and the National Historical Commission.

National Historical Commission of the Philippines: This government agency promotes Philippine
history and cultural heritage through research, dissemination, conservation, sites management,
and heraldry work.

National Museum of the Philippines: This government institution preserves the various
permanent national collections featuring the ethnographic, anthropological, archaeological, and
visual artistry of the Philippines.

LESSON 5:

Critical Thinking - means making one's thought process clear by breaking down a problem or an
information in order to arrive to a clear interpretation of the said problem or information and then
use this interpretation to reach an informed decision or judgement.

To become a critical thinker, it is necessary to learn how to:

A. Understand the intent and context of one's thoughts
B. Scrutinize the source or sources of information
C. Recognize the argument or arguments being made
D. Assess the validity of every argument being presented
E. Formulate an original thesis

A. Understand the intent and context of one’s thoughts.

-This focus helps to circumvent information overload and maintain a clear trajectory of thought.
In trying to understand intent and context, ask these foundational questions:

1. What is the problem or topic at hand?

2. What question or goal is being addressed?
3. What different viewpoints, arguments, concepts or components will need to be considered
when deliberating on this problem or topic?
4. Is there a sufficient understanding of the information or components relevant to this problem
or topic?

B. Scrutinize the source/sources of information

-Questioning these sources can enhance critical thinking, assist in selecting the most pertinent
information, and lay the groundwork for subsequent analysis and evaluation.

[Link] of irrelevant or erroneous sources

2. Selection of sources that are relevant and reliable
3. Sharpening of the focus of one's critical inquiry
4. Gaining a better understanding of current knowledge and debates relevant to the topic.
5. Preparation for the analysis and evaluation of sources

The following questions can assist in determining which sources are reliable and relevant to the
task:

1. For what purpose was the source produced? Look for:

a. Intended audience
b. Bias
c. Emotional response the source wants to elicit
d. Language and tone (Are the language technical and the tone formal or academic, thus meant
for experts or are the language and tone set fot a general audience?)

2. How accurate is the source? Can the information:

a. Be verified
b. Be inaccurate
c. Be partially or selectively presenting a side of an issue
d. Be incomplete
3. How relevant is the source? Is it:
a. Current
b. Outdated
c. Informative
d. Appropriate to the topic in focus

[Link] credible is the author? What are the author's qualifications and affiliation? Look for the
author's:
a. Qualification related to the topic in focus
b. Connection with particular groups

C. Recognize the argument/arguments being made

-The ability to identify arguments enables one to comprehend how individuals structure their
thoughts, and it lays the groundwork for analysis and evaluation, thereby facilitating the
formulation of one's own argument.

[Link] the sum-up of the argument. This can be indicated by phrases such as "In conclusion...",
"Therefore", "Our position is that", "I argue that..", "The point I am making is..."
2. Find the source's implicit meaning. If the source did not explicitly state its position, then look
for implicit arguments such as the its claim and the evidence the source used to support their
position ot reason.
3. Summarize the argument in your own words. If you cannot summarize the main argument
clearly and concisely in your own words, it means you do not fully understand it.

D. Assess the validity of every argument being presented

-When assessing sources and arguments, one judges their quality, value, or significance. This
involves considering their strengths and limitations in relation to the topic being undertaken or a
particulat [Link] analysis, assessment can easily become biased or flawed.
Assessment necessitates:

1. A review of strengths and limitations

2. Verification of evidence and reason
3. Investigation of claims
4. Comparison of quality from sources addressing a similar topic.

E. Formulate an original thesis

-Formulating an original thesis involves synthesizing evidence, reasoning, and developing a

main claim. This synthesis tequires considering others arguments, including supporting and
opposing views.
A good argument has six characteristics:

1. A clear main claim

2. Logical structure
[Link] evidence
4. Clear reasoning
5. Analysis and evaluation of sources
6. Clear, convincing writing

To build an argument:

1. Formulate a main claim

2. Gather supporting and opposing reasons and evidence
3. Organize the line of reasoning around key themes and claims.
4. Scrutinize and polish the central argument to ensure it addresses different perspectives and
applies to a broader context.