Module 1

• History was derived from the Greek work historia, which means "knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation".
• Historia became known as the account of the past of a person or of group of people through written documents and historical evidences.
• History - study of the past
• prehistory - events occurring before the invention of writing systems
• history - an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of information about these events
• historiography - refers to the study of history, philosophy, and methodology of history
• historians must be familiar with the historiography of their particular area of study
• historiography - writing of history, especially the writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particular details from the authentic materials int hose sources, and the synthesis of those details into a narrative that stands the test of critical examination
• historiography - also refers to the theory and history of historical writing
• positivism - school of though that emerged between the 18th and 19th century that requires empirical and observable evidence before one can claim that a particular knowledge is true
• post-colonialism - 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
• Annales School of History - school of history born in France that challenged the canons of history, it did away with the common historical subjects that were almost always related to the conduct of states and monarchs
• historians - scholars who focus on history
• Roles of Historians:

  • place the past in context, using sources from moments and events, and filling in the gaps to the best of their ability
• written sources - are not the only sources historians use to develop their understanding of the past
• History also includes the academic discipline, which uses narrative to describe, examine, question, and analyze a sequence of past events, investigate the patterns of cause and effect that are related to them
• slogan of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines Institute

  A Filipino society with citizens informed of their history, who love their country and are proud of their cultural heritage.
• Reasons why we study history according to Peter N. Stearns of American Historical Association

  1. History helps us understand people and societies.
  2. History helps us understand change and how the society we live in came to be.
  3. History is important in our own lives.
  4. History contributes to moral understanding.
  5. History provides identity.
  6. Studying history is essential for good citizenship.
  7. History develops in the students the ability to assess evidence.
  8. History develops in the students the ability to assess conflicting interpretations.
  9. History is useful in your career and in the world of work.
• Marthin Luther King Jr. - stated that "We are not makers of history, we are made by history."
• Sources only become historical evidence when they are interpreted by the historian to make sense of the past.
• primary sources - produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being studied
• secondary sources - produced by an author who used primary sources to produce the material
• historical criticism - referred to as the evaluation of historical data and information
• historical evidence - reliable data yielded by the process of historical criticism
• historical evidence - derived from historical data by the process of criticism
• external criticism - practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence by examining its physical characteristics of the time when it was produced, and the materials used for the evidence
• internal criticism - examination of the truthfulness of the evidence; it looks at the truthfulness and factuality of the evidence by looking at the author of the source and its context
• Criteria in Analyzing a Historical Source

  • Accuracy
  • Authority
  • Objectivity
  • Currency
  • Coverage
• historical context - refers to the social, religious, economic, and political conditions that existed during a certain time and place