GE- 2 Readings in Philippine History | Module 1 |

Meaning and Relevance of History |

Reminder: Please be reminded that the distribution of modules in this subject is
through the CAS office, made to be available for copying only maybe by a
xerographic copier. This shall be for distribution only on the first (1 st) and third
(3rd) Wednesday of the month during the entire period of the semester.
(For BSIS, BLIS AND BSHS exclusive use)

I. Warm-up:
For 2-5 minutes ponder on these questions: (you may write on a sheet of paper)
1. What comes into your mind when you encounter the word history?
2. Identify whether or not history do repeat itself?
II. Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Define what history is.

2. Evaluate the different ways on how to identify the validity of a text.
3. Reflect on the learning experience.
4. Identify the areas in life where history plays a great role.
5. Evaluate the importance of studying the history.

III. Introduction:
To make sense of history, it is necessary to first understand what it is all
about. Many people think that history is merely lists of names, dates, places, and
“important” events. However, History or the study of history is more than just
knowing and memorizing facts. It is a historian’s duty to draw insights from the
ideas and realities that have shaped the lives of men and women and the
society. And in understanding these ideas, a historian (or, in fact, a student of
history) can comprehend how situations happened, identify their elements, and
think of how these situations can solve today’s predicaments, and help them plan
for the future. The study of history, therefore, is the study of the beliefs and
desires, practices, and institutions of human beings.

WHY STUDY HISTORY?

An examination of the past can tell us a great deal about how we came to
be who we are. It means looking at the roots of modern institutions, ideas,
values, and problems. Looking at the past teaches us to see the world through
different eyes appreciating the diversity of human perceptions, beliefs, and
cultures. Different and/or new perspectives will enable us to analyze critically the
present contexts of our society and beings

IV. Input
History
• Derived from the Greek word “historia” which means “knowledge acquired
through inquiry or investigation”
• Also known as the study of the past
• Is the account of the past of a person or a group of people through written
documents and historical evidences?
• History also focused on writing about wars, revolutions, and other important
breakthroughs
 • It means that unless a written document can prove a certain historical event, then
it cannot be considered as a historical fact. No Document, No
History: Valid Historical Documents
o Government Records
o Chronicle’s Accounts
o Personal Letters
o Receipts, etc. SOME

Discrimination in the Validity of History

• Restricting historical evidence as exclusively written is a discrimination against

other social classes who were not recorded in paper.
• Others got their historical documents burned or destroyed in the events of war or
colonization.

Historiography
• It covers how historians have studied and developed history including its sources,
techniques, and theoretical approaches
• It should not be confused with History because history is the study of the past,
the events that happened in the past.
• It focuses on how a certain historical text was written, who wrote it, what was the
context of its publication, what historical method was employed, what sources
were used

Positivism
• Is the school of thought that emerged between the 18th and 19th century.
• This thought requires empirical and observable evidence before one can claim
that a particular knowledge is true.

• Historians were required to show written primary documents in order to

write a particular historical narrative.

Post-Colonialism
• Is the 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?
o Two Things in Writing History:
 Tell the history of their nation that will highlight their
identity free from that colonial discourse and knowledge
 To criticize the methods, effects, and idea of colonialism

History and the Historian

• Facts cannot speak for themselves.
• It is the historian’s job not just to seek historical evidences and facts
but also to interpret them. It is their job to give meaning to these facts and
organize them into timeline, establish causes, and write history.

Historical Methodology
• It comprises certain techniques and rules that historians follow in
order to properly utilize sources and historical evidences in writing history.
THE DEFINITION AND SUBJECT MATTER

History was derived from the Greek word historia which means
“knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation”. History as a disciplined
existed for around 2, 400 years and is as old as mathematics and philosophy.
This term was then adapted to classical Latin where it acquired a new definition.
Historia became known as the account of the past of a person or a group of
people through written documents and historical evidences. That meaning stuck
until the early parts of the twentieth century. History became an important
discipline. It became the historian’s duty to write about the lives of important
individuals like monarchs, heroes, saints, and nobilities. History was also focused
on writing wars, revolutions, and other important breakthroughs. It is thus
important to ask: What counts as history? Traditional historians lived with the
mantra “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.

But as any other academic disciplines, history progressed and opened

up to the possibility of valid historical sources, which were not limited to written
documents, like government records, chroniclers’ accounts, or personal letters.
Giving premium to written documents essentially invalidates the history of other
civilizations that do not keep written records. Some were keener on passing their
history by word of mouth. Others got their historical documents burned or
destroyed in the events of war or colonization. Restricting historical evidence as
exclusively written is also discrimination against other social classes who were
not recorded in paper. Nobilities, monarchs, the elite, and even the middle class
would have their birth, education, marriage, and death as matters of government
and historical record. But what of peasant families or indigenous groups who
were not given much thought about being registered to government records?
Does the absence of written documents about them mean they were people of
no history or past? Did they even exist?

This loophole was recognized by historians who started using other kinds
of historical sources, which may not be in written form but were just as valid. A
few examples are oral traditions in forms of epics and songs, artifacts,
architecture, and memory. History thus became more inclusive and started
collaborating with other disciplines as its auxiliary disciplines.
Other Definitions of History:  History is defined as a documented record
of man and his society. (Gray, 1956, pp.1-3).
 As a field of study, history is a study of man and his achievements from
the beginning of written records to the present.
 As a literary form of history is an effective presentation of the unfolding
events. But as a type of literature history falls under non-fiction work.
 History comes from social history which defines it as a record of events
showing the evolution of man and his society from the earliest and from the age
of barbarism to what he is today.

Understanding History

Why don’t we learn from history? (An excerpt from Lidell Hart, 1971)
What is the objective of history? One would simply answer, quite simply - “truth”.
It is a word and an idea that has gone out of fashion. The object might be more
cautiously expressed thus: to find out what happened while trying to find out why
it happened. It seeks the casual relations between events.
 History has limitations as a guiding signpost; although it can show us the
right direction, it does not give detailed information about the road conditions. But
its negative value as a warning sign is more definite. History can show us what to
avoid, even if it does not teach us what to do - by showing the most common
mistakes that mankind is apt to make and to repeat.

A second object lies in the practical value of history. The knowledge

gained from the study of true history is the best of all education for practical life.
The study of history embraces every aspect of life. It lays the foundation of
education by showing how mankind repeats its errors and what those errors are.

The Relevance of History

Given are the uses of history as summarized by Foray and Salevouris (1988).
Some of these are interestingly explained by B.H. Lidedell Hart (1971).
A. History provides a source of personal and social identity.
B. History helps us understand the problems of the present.
C. History – good history – corrects misleading analogies and “lessons” of the
past.
D. History can help one develop tolerance and open-mindedness.
E. History helps us better understand all human behaviors and all aspects of the
human condition.
F. History provides the basic background for many disciplines.
G. History can be a source of entertainment.
H. History, when studied, can teach many critical skills.

 Communication skills
o The study of history is not just about interpreting the past but
also presenting the thoughts
o Helps to write in an organized, coherent, logical way,
supporting the views with evidence
o Help in other subjects, as well as in life and work later

 Research skills.
• Introduce to many different types of evidence, such as:
Maps, Photographs, Political cartoons, Diary entries
Memoirs, Photographs, Official records Building

o Analytical skills
• Develop the ability to think critically, to evaluate the
usefulness of sources, to detect bias or propaganda

o ICT skills
• History allows access to ICT, developing skills that are
relevant to life and work today
 • The Internet offers a huge range of appropriate historical
web sites o Many other electronic resources also exist for
the study of history, such as CD-ROMs, library databases
and catalogues
• The use of modern digital media makes studying history
very enjoyable and stimulating

In conclusion, history allows you to acquire a combination of skills and

insights that will broaden your understanding of the world, develop you as a
person, prepare you for a future career and enable you to participate fully in
society.

V. Readings
Agoncillo, Teodoro. (2012). History of the Filipino People 8th edition. Quezon
City. C&E Publishing. Inc de la Costa, H. (1992). Readings in Philippine
History. Makati City: [Link] Press.
OpenLearn from the Open University. (2016, December 14). How do historians
know about the past? (1/3). Retrieved August 20, 2020, from Youtube:
[Link]
Oxillo, M. (2018, October 11). Readings in Philippine History - Introduction to
Philippine History. Retrieved August 20, 2020, from Slideshare:
[Link]
history119056759
Samsonas, J. (2016, April 30). How Historians Do History. Retrieved August 20,
2020, from Youtube: [Link]

____FREDDIE R. COLLADA____
Instructor 1