MODULE I IN GEC 2

(READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY)

MODULE I – INTRODUCTION: MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY;

DISTINCTION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES; EXTERNAL AND
INTERNAL CRITICISM; REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES; DIFFERENT
KINDS OF PRIMARY SOURCES

CHAPTER INTRODUCTION

Philippine history is one of the important disciplines of Social Science to study.

Knowing our history gives as a sense of identity and helps us understand how our
nation came to be. It is also important in imparting nationalism, culture especially to the
future generations by allowing us to understand our past which in turn allows us to
understand our present.

Moreover, in this reality, the General Education course Readings in Philippine

History viewed Philippine history from the lenses of selected primary sources in different
periods, analysis, and interpretations. This course further analyzes Philippine History
from multiple perspectives through the lenses of the selected primary sources coming
from various disciplines and of different genres. It also focuses in developing the
historiographical skills of the students connected to context and content analysis.
Primary sources will be the ultimate bridge between the past and the present, allowing
spaces from for students to simply not parroting facts about the past but help them
develop their analytical and communication skills as well as gaining knowledge that can
be used in proposing solutions to the present day problems.

In addition, students are given opportunities to analyze the author’s background

and main arguments, compare different points of view, identify biases, and examine the
evidence presented in the document. Traditional topics in history and other
interdisciplinary themes will be discussed in order to deepen and broaden the
understanding of the students in the Philippine political, economic, cultural, social,
scientific and religious history. Finally, the end goal is to develop the historical and
critical consciousness of the students so that they will become versatile, articulate,
broad-minded, morally upright and responsible citizens.

VALUE/THRUSTS INTEGRATION
Valuing the importance of history in a nation’s identity.

MODULE 1 – MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY; DISTINCTION OF

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES; EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CRITICISM;
REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES; AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRIMARY
SOURCES

INTRODUCTION:

This chapter presents the meaning and relevance of history. Furthermore, the
distinction between primary and secondary sources; internal and external criticism of
finding the authenticity of the primary sources; different repositories of primary as well
different kinds of primary sources that would consequently enlightened the students’
understanding on the concept, relevance of history, the distinction of primary vis-à-vis
secondary sources and the authenticity of sources using internal and external criticism.

INTENDED OUTCOME/LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson the students will be able to:
1. demonstrate an understanding on the meaning and relevance of history;
2. evaluate primary sources for their credibility, authenticity and provenance;
3. distinguish between primary and secondary sources as well repositories of the
different kinds of primary sources;
STIMULATING LEARNING (Motivation)
Many people think that history is merely lists of names, dates, and places, and
important events. In your understanding:
1. What is history?
2. How important is the study of history in the lives of the people?
3. Is determining sources of history either primary or secondary important to
critically assess the value of historical evidence and sources?
4. Do you have an idea on any repositories of the sources of primary sources?

INCULCATING CONCEPTS (Input/Lesson Proper)

MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY

History can be defined in several ways. It could be defined as a documented
record of man and his society. As a field of study, it is a study of man and his
achievements from the beginning of written records to the present time (Gray, in De
Vianna, 2017).

History is the study of the beliefs and desires, practices, and institutions of human
beings (Torres, 2018,).

ETYMOLOGY OF HISTORY
History was derived from the Greek word historia, which means “knowledge
acquired through inquiry or investigation.” As a discipline, it existed around 2,400 years
and is as old than Mathematics and Philosophy; the term was then adapted to classical
Latin where it acquired new definition. Historia became known as the account of the
past of a person or of a group of people through written documents and historical
evidences.
According to Aristotle, “History is a systematic account of a set of natural
phenomena, whether or not chronological ordering was a factor in the account; The
word history was reserved usually for accounts of phenomena (especially human
affairs) in chronological order.
 Moreover, History is further compared to the German word for history –
Geschichte derived from geschehen, meaning to happen. Geschichte is that which has
happened. This is how History now means “the past of mankind”’; “all history teaches”
or “the lessons of history.”
The reconstruction of the total past, although that is the goal of a historian is
unattainable.

HISTORY CAN BE DEFINED IN MANY WAYS:

1. As a documented record of man and society.
2. As a field of study, “it is a study of man and his achievements from the beginning
of the written records to the present time” (Gray, 1956 in De Viana, 2015);

OTHER DEFINITIONS OF HISTORY:

1. TRADITIONAL DEFINITIONS
o History is the record of the past.
o History is a record of the human past from the time written records began to
appear. (The above definitions are weak for they view history as merely a written
record.)
o According to Gottschalk, history is actuality; hence it must study the past as it
happened (the practical value of studying and using the past to understand the
present is lost.)
o Interviews or oral history and oral traditions, and cultural artifacts are not
considered.
o This notion of “no written record, no history” has confined history to the literate
and articulate and has resulted to the production of historiographies from upper
class perspective.

2. MODERN DEFINITION
o History is the reconstruction of the past based on written records, oral history,
cultural artifacts and folk traditions.
o It is the imaginative reconstruction of the past, the study of events concerning
people in the past.
o Therefore, history is the interpretative and imaginative study of surviving records
of the past, either written or unwritten, to determine the meaning and scope of
human existence (Funtecha, 2010).

USES OR IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY

1. BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE PRESENT AND THE PAST

The present being the result of the past, the Philippines and the Filipinos are
what they are today because of what happened in the past. The nature and the
extent of contemporary problems in the country can best be understood in the
light of the historical roots. Thus, knowing the past improves the understanding of
the present.

2. EXPLAINING CAUSES OF THINGS AND EVENTS

No other discipline can provide explanations for causes of events and /or
development. For example, there is no way to explain why the “state-side
mentality” among Filipinos is very strong. The question is, “what was in the past
that brought about this mentality?”

3. PROJECTING THE FUTURE

Events and developments in the future may be envisioned using lessons of
history as bases. Circumstances in the past have been observed to contribute to
the unfolding of a significant event. History allows us to speculate intelligently
about the future. Present and future intelligent action springs from sound
knowledge of the past.
 4. INTERPRETING CONDITIONS OF A GIVEN SPACE AND TIME
History is the only branch of knowledge that can provide information of
corresponding interpretations of periods of History (e.g. the coming of US to the
Philippines).

5. PROMOTING NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM

History is the best area of human knowledge that can help in promoting
nationalism and patriotism. It inspires and develops a sense of national pride and
a sense of devotion by recording the exploits and struggles of our forefathers to
win freedom and independence. Thus, History affirms the fact that Filipinos
possess many positive traits and a very rich culture.

HISTORIOGRAPHY DEFINED
Historiography- is the history of history.

History and historiography should not be confused with each other:

Thus, historiography, let the student learn have better understanding of history;
historical facts; also provide understanding of the facts and historians’ contexts.
The methods employed by historian and the theory and perspective, which guided him,
will also be analyzed.
Historiography is important for someone who studies history because it teaches
the student to be critical in the lessons of history presented to him. Historiography (the
writing of history), further is the imaginative reconstruction of the past from the data
derived by that process.
History has played various roles in the past. States use history to unite a nation.
It can be used as a tool to legitimize regimes and forge a sense of collective identity
through collective memory. Lessons from the past can help people to not repeat them.
HISTORICAL METHOD is the process of critically analyzing the records and
survivals of the past.
HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
Four headings:
1. The selection of a subject for investigation;
2. Collection sources;
3. Examination of the genuineness of sources;
4. Extraction of credible sources

OBJECTIVITY AND SUBJECTIVITY

Sometimes objects like ruins, parchments, and coins survive from the past; The
facts of history are derived from testimony and therefore are facts of meaning; cannot
be seen, felt, tasted and heard, or smelled; they maybe said symbolic or representative
of something that once was real, , but they have no objective reality of their own; in
other words, they exist only in the observer’s or historian’s mind (and thus may be
called subjective) to be studied objectively, a thing must be an objective; it must have an
independent existence outside the human mind (Objectivity is with the intention of
acquiring detached and truthful knowledge independent of one’s personal reactions)
Impartiality and objectivity to be sure, may be difficult to obtain from such data, and
conclusions may be more debatable. Most of history is based on recollections – that is,
written or spoken testimony.

HISTORY AND HISTORICAL SOURCES

Historians has to use many materials that are not books; i.e. archaeological,
epigraphical, or numismatistical materials in which they have to depend largely on
museums where they are official records (such as archives, courthouses, governmental
libraries, etc.); have to hunt private papers – among papers of business houses, the
muniment rooms of ancient castles, the prized possessions of autographed collectors,
the records of parish churches. Etc. (Understanding History, Gottschalk:1950).

It is from historical sources that our history is studied and written. But in
analyzing them, several methodologies and theories were used by historians to properly
study history and glean from the sources what is a proper way of writing history to
enhance and disseminate national identity (Torres, 2018).

CLASSIFICATION OF SOURCES
1. Primary Source – are those sources produced at the same time as the event,
period, or subject being studied (i.e. Studying Commonwealth Constitution
Convention – reports of U.S. Commissioners, records of convention,
photographs, archives, artifacts, etc.); are materials produced by people or
groups directly involved in the event or topic being studied. These people are
either participants or eyewitnesses of event (Torres, 2018).
2. Secondary Source – are those sources which were produced by an author who
used primary sources to produce the material (i.e. Philippine Revolution of 1896
you can read Agoncillo’ s “Revolt of the masses.”). Gottschalk simply defines
secondary sources as “the testimony anyone who is not an eyewitness-that is of
one who is not present at the event of which he tells.”

DISTINCTION BETWEEN PRIMARY SOURCES AND OTHER ORIGINAL SOURCES

Written and oral sources are divided into two kinds: Primary and secondary.
1) A primary source is the testimony of an eyewitness, or of a witness by any other
of the senses, or of a mechanical device like a Dictaphone – that is, of one who
or that present at the events of which he or it tells.
2) A secondary source is the testimony of anyone who is not an eyewitness – that
is, of one who was not present at the events of which he tells.

THE MEANING OF “ORIGINAL”. A document may be called original:

a. It contains fresh and creative ideas
b. It is not translated from the language in which it was first written before;
c. It is in its earliest, unpolished stage;
d. Its text is the approved text;
e. It is the earliest available source of information
CRITICISMS OF DOCUMENTS
• Historical sources exist independent of the research study since they were not
written or developed for use of research;
• May not solely serve the researcher’s purpose;
• All sources of historical data must be subjected to rigorous scientific analysis to
determine both their authenticity and accuracy through external and internal
criticisms.

2 KINDS OF CRITICISM OF DOCUMENTS

1. EXTERNAL CRITICISM – is the practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence
by examining its physical characteristics; consistency with the historical
characteristic of time when it was produced; and the materials used for evidence
(i.e. the quality of paper, the type of ink, the language and words used, etc.)
a) the establishment of authenticity.
b) ensure that the documents are not forgeries or inventions.
c) Problem for which source are relatively old wherein authenticity were not
given can be checked to physical and chemical tests;
2. INTERNAL CRITICISM – is the examination of the truthfulness of the evidence.
It looks at the content of the source and examine the circumstance of its
production.
Looks at the truthfulness and factuality of the evidence by looking at the author of
the source, its context, the agenda behind its creation, knowledge which it
formed, and its intended purpose:
a) the establishment of accuracy;
b) evaluate the accuracy and the worth of the data.
c) determine the accuracy of the data, four factors are to be considered:
1. Author’s knowledge and competence;
2. Time delay;
3. Motives and biases of the author;
4. Consistency of the data.
 (i.e. Japanese reports and reports during the war period should not taken as a
historical facts hastily; Kalantiao Code as a hoax contained in an epic Maragtas;
Marcos claimed as WWII soldier who led the guerilla unit called the Maharlika
and was believed with war models which was disproved by historians through
looking with war records of US.

SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS
1. POSITIVISM - is the school of thought that emerged between the eighteenth and
the nineteenth century. This thought requires empirical and observable evidence
before one claim that a particular knowledge is true; entails an objective means
of arriving at a conclusion; The mantra, “no document, no history” stems from this
very truth.
Historians were required to show written primary documents to write a particular
historical narrative; Positivist historians are also expected to be objective and
impartial not just in their arguments but also on their conduct of historical
research.
2. POST-COLONIALISM - A school of thought that emerged in the early twentieth
century when formerly colonized nations grappled with the idea of creating their
identities and understanding their societies against the shadows of their colonial
past.

LOOKS OF POST-COLONIAL HISTORY IN WRITING HISTORY

1. To tell history of their nation that will highlight their identity free from that of
colonial discourse and knowledge.
2. To criticize the methods, effects, and idea of colonialism.

Postcolonial history is therefore a reaction and an alternative to the colonial history that
colonial powers created and thought to their subjects.
REPOSITORIES
1. THE AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1898-1945) AND THE JAPANESE
OCCUPATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (1941-1945)
SOME REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES
2. National Library of the Philippines (NLP) – OPAC at www.elib.gov.ph
3. American Historical Collection (ACH) at the Ateneo de Manila University
4. Rizal Library OPAC at http://rizalls.lib.admu.edu.ph/#section=home Manila
Observatory Archives (MOA) – at the Ateneo de Manila
5. UP Diliman Main Library OPAC http://ilib.up.edu.ph
6. National Archives of the Philippines (War Crime Trials)
http://nationalarchives.gov.ph/
7. Lopez Museum and Library in Ortigas https://lopez-museum.com.ph/
8. Filipinas Heritage Library at the Ayala Museum http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/
9. Ortigas Foundation Library http://ortigasfoundationlibrary.com.ph/
10. Jose P. Laurel Memorial Foundation Inc. http://joseplaurel.com/schedule-a-visit/
11. Presidential Museum and Library https://web.facebook.com/malacanang/?_rdr
12. Jose B. Vargas Museum and Filipiniana Research Center in UP Diliman
https://vargasmuseum.wordpress.com/
https://web.facebook.com.vargasmuseum.upd?_rdr
13. Library Link A Union of Filipiniana Catalogue http://www.librarylink.org.ph/

USING/APPLYING KNOWLEDGE (Application/Integration)

Make a comparison on these two sources. Research and read the accounts of
Tejeros Convention one by Santiago Alvarez “Memoirs of Generals” the primary source
and the other one is by Teodoro Agoncillo’ s “Revolts of the Masses,” as the secondary
source. Answer the worksheet below comparing the two accounts.
Worksheet for Primary vs. Secondary Sources on the Tejeros Convention (1897)

Primary Source: Santiago Secondary Source:

Alvarez “Memoirs of A Teodoro Agoncillo’s
General “Revolt of the Masses”
Author’s background
When was the account
written?
Mention of date(s)
Key Personalities
Sequencing of events
Differences between the
two accounts

REFERENCE TO/REFLECTION ON VALUE/THRUSTS INTEGRATION

1. John Lee P. Candelaria and Veronica C. Alporha. Readings in Philippine History.
856 Nicanor Reyes Sr., St., Sampaloc, Manila. 2018
2. Evelyn J. Grey, Ph.D. and Ryan D. Biong, M.A. Ed. “Readings in Philippine
History.” Malones Printing Press and Publishing House. Door 32, Zerrudo
Commercial Complez, E. Lopez St., Jaro , Iloilo, Philippines. Copyright 2017.
3. Jose Victor Torres. “BATIS: Sources in Philippine History.” C and E Publishing,
Inc. 839 EDSA, South Triangle, Quezon City, 2018.