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• History


  The study of the past acquired by investigation
• Traditional/Common definition of history

  Narration of events which have happened among mankind
• Modern definitions of history

  • Reconstruction of the past based on credible facts, and folk accounts
  • Opinionative reconstruction of the patterns of events of the past or concerning people in the past
• Historians


  • Tasked with interpreting the facts in an orderly and intelligible manner
  • Tasked with discovering patterned and trends which govern the behavior of the people and nations and make generalizations of it
• Subjectivity in history - there are no objects or clear evidence then the reconstruction is built merely from the historian's own understanding and mind</b>
• Objectivity must be an object and must have an independent existence from the human mind
• Importance of learning history

  • Bridging the gap between the past and the present
  • Predicting the future
  • Interpreting the conditions of a certain time period
  • Promoting patriotism and love for country
  • Relationship with other social sciences
• Historical sources


  Objects from the past or testimony concerning the past on which historians depend upon to create their depiction of the past
• Primary sources


  Enable the researcher to get as close to as possible to what actually happened during a historical event or time period
• Secondary sources


  A source written about a primary source, it is written after the fact at a later time
• Primary sources


  Sources studied by someone who has studied the primary sources of a historical event or period and then will interpret it
• Using Primary Sources


  • Advantages: Unfiltered access to the record of history created by people who actually lived during that time period or experienced it, Provides a very real insight to what it was like living during that time period
  • Disadvantages: Lack context and are often incomplete, thus must require students to use their imagination to fill gaps, Moves from concrete facts to interpretation fast
• Using Secondary Sources


  • Advantages: Provides analysis, synthesis, and interpretation of something by someone who is already very knowledgeable in the topic, Best for uncovering background information about the topic or broadening your knowledge on different perspectives about the topic
  • Disadvantages: Their reliability or validity can be questionable or incorrect, May contain bias or subjective opinions, There are so many written works about it that it becomes overwhelming
• Types of Written Sources of History

  • Narrative or Literary
  • Diplomatic or Juridical
  • Social Documents
• Diplomatic or Juridical Sources


  Kinds of sources that professional historians once treated as the purest "best" source, A legal document is sealed or authenticated to provide evidence that a legal transaction has been completed and can be used as evidence in a judicial proceedings of dispute
• Social Documents


  Information pertaining to economic, social, political or judicial significance and is kept by bureaucracies, Examples are reports, municipal accounts and property registers
• Types of Historical Sources

  • Artifacts
  • Written Documents
  • Historical Criticism
• External Criticism


  To spot fabricated, forged and fake documents and to distinguish a hoax or misinterpretation, Test of Authenticity - Determine the date of the document to see if they are anachronistic, Determine the reliability of the author, Look at the way of writing - did it match the time period that it was written in, Anachronistic reference to events, Provenance or custom - determines its genuineness, Hermeneutics - principles of interpretation of ambiguous words
• Internal Criticism


  Problem of credibility and relevant particulars in the documents, Verisimilar - as close to as what really happened from a critical examination of available sources, Test of Credibility - Identification of the author (their reliability and qualifications), Determination of the approximate date (handwriting, signature or seal), Ability to tell truth (nearness to the event, Competence of witness and degree of attention)