PREFACE…

This course critically analyzes Philippine history from multiple perspectives through
the lens of selected primary sources. Priority will be given to primary sources that
describe the important turning points in Philippine history from prehistoric times up to
the contemporary period and articulate various perspectives.

The approach, though historical, will deal with interdisciplinary subjects so as to

broaden and deepen the student’s understanding of Philippine political, economic,
social and cultural history and equip the learner with the competencies necessary to
analyze and evaluate different types of information: print, visual and audio-visual, and
quantitative.

The end goal is to develop the historical and critical consciousness of the students so
that they will become versatile, broad-minded, morally upright and responsible
citizens.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

 To understand the meaning of history as an academic discipline and to be

familiar with the underlying philosophy and methodology of the discipline;
 To apply the knowledge in historical methodology and philosophy in assessing
and analyzing existing historical narratives;
 To examine and assess critically the value of historical evidences and sources;
and
 To appreciate the importance of history in the social and national life of the
Philippines.
Overview:

This module is divided into five chapters:

Chapter 1 –Introduction to History: Definition, Issues, Sources and Methodology

is a general appraisal of history as a discipline and as a narrative. This chapter
aims to introduce the students to history as a theoretical field, as well as
discuss the historiographical method of the evaluation of primary sources.

Chapter 2 –Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in

Philippine History talks about the two methods of analysis mentioned as it
applies to historical research, using primary sources from across the periods
of Philippine history as exemplars of analyses.

Chapter 3 –Philippine History: Spaces for Conflict and Controversies attempts to

dissect the issues surrounding historical interpretation –how a single record
of the past can be interpreted in multiple ways and the challenges it poses to
the students of history.

Chapter 4 –Social, Political, Economic and Cultural Issues in Philippine History is

centered on the attempt to understand current issues and concerns using the
lens of history, in recognition of the fact that the problems of society today
could well be addressed by looking at the roots of the problems. This chapter
discusses the mandatory topics on the Philippine Constitution, agrarian
reform and taxation.

Chapter 5 –Doing History: A Guide for Students is an attempt by the authors to

guide the students in the historical research methods they will have to
undergo in the process of completing the course. This chapter recognizes the
realities of the present generation and aims to use these realities to the
advantage of the students in the process of learning history by doing history.

DISCLAIMER: No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means,
mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without
the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed
for the students of Aklan State University intended for academic
purposes only.
Test your Understanding: True or False.
Write True if you think that the statement is correct and False if it is otherwise.
Write your answers on the spaces provided before the numbers.

__________1. History is the study of the past and the present.

__________2. Sources that were not written should not be used in writing history.
__________3. History has no use for the present, thus, the saying “past is past” is
correct.
__________4. History is limited to the story of a hero versus a villain.
__________5. Only primary sources may be used in writing history.
__________6. The subject historiography is history itself.
__________7. The historians are the only sources of history.
__________8. Sources are classified as primary, secondary and tertiary.
Answer the following questions below:

1. In your own opinion, what is the meaning of history?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. Why is there a need for us to study history?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________.

3. What is the relevance of history in the society? In your life?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________.
 MODULE 1
Lesson 1: Introduction to History

At the end of the lesson, the students must be able to:

1. Give their own definition of history;

2. Determine the relevance of history in society;
3. Differentiate external and internal criticism; and
4. Identify the different kinds of primary sources and its repositories.

History is …

 the branch of knowledge dealing with past events. a continuous, systematic narrative
of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually
written as a chronological account

 something important enough to be recorded, preserved, etc.

 a chronological record of significant events (such as those affecting a nation or

institution) often including an explanation of their causes

The importance of History are:

1. History helps us develop a better understanding of the world.

You can’t build a framework on which to base your life without understanding how
things work in the world. History paints us a detailed picture of how society, technology, and
government worked way back when so that we can better understand how it works now. It
also helps us determine how to approach the future, as it allows us to learn from our past
mistakes (and triumphs) as a society.

2. History helps us understand ourselves.

To understand who you are, you need to develop a sense of self. A large part of that
is learning where you fit into the story of your country or the global community in the grand
scheme of things. History tells you the story of how your nation, city, or community came to
be everything that it is. It tells you where your ancestors came from and tells you who they
were. Most importantly of all, it gives you the ability to spot (and appreciate) the legacies
you may have inherited from them.
3. History helps us learn to understand other people.
History isn’t just an essential introduction to your own country, ethnic heritage, and
ancestry. It’s also a valuable tool when it comes to understanding those who are different
from us. Global, national, and regional history books help us understand how other cultures
affect our own.
4. History gives us the tools we need to be decent citizens.
Good citizens are always informed citizens, and no one can consider himself to be
an informed citizen without a working knowledge of history. This is the case whether we’re
talking about our role in our community or in regards to our nation on the whole. History
helps us become better voters and more effective members of any type of society. It helps
put us in a position to better inform others as well.

5. History makes us better decision makers.

“Those that do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” Those words were first
spoken by George Santayana, and they are still very relevant today because of how true
they are. History gives us the opportunity to learn from past mistakes. It helps us
understand the many reasons why people may behave the way they do. As a result, it helps
us become more compassionate as people and more impartial as decision makers. Our
judicial system is a perfect example of this concept at work.

There are theories constructed by historians in investigating history:

✣ Factual History
✣ Speculative History

FACTUAL HISTORY
 Presents readers the plain and basic information, the events that took place
(what), the time and date with which the event happened (when), the place with
which the event took place, and the people that were involved (who).

SPECULATIVE HISTORY
 It goes beyond facts because it is concerned about the reasons for which events
happened (why), and the way they happened (how).
 “All people are living histories – which is why History matters”
by: Penelope J. Corfield

Historians are often asked: what is the use or relevance of studying History (the
capital letter signaling the academic field of study)? Why on earth does it matter what
happened long ago? The answer is that History is inescapable. It studies the past and the
legacies of the past in the present. Far from being a 'dead' subject, it connects things
through time and encourages its students to take a long view of such connections.
All people and peoples are living histories. To take a few obvious examples:
communities speak languages that are inherited from the past. They live in societies with
complex cultures, traditions and religions that have not been created on the spur of the
moment. People use technologies that they have not themselves invented.
And each individual is born with a personal variant of an inherited genetic template, known
as the genome, which has evolved during the entire life-span of the human species.
So understanding the linkages between past and present is absolutely basic for a
good understanding of the condition of being human. That, in a nutshell, is why History
matters. It is not just 'useful', it is essential.
The study of the past is essential for 'rooting' people in time. And why should that
matter? The answer is that people who feel themselves to be rootless live rootless lives,
often causing a lot of damage to themselves and others in the process. Indeed, at the most
extreme end of the out-of-history spectrum, those individuals with the distressing experience
of complete memory loss cannot manage on their own at all. In fact, all people have a full
historical context. But some, generally for reasons that are no fault of their own, grow up
with a weak or troubled sense of their own placing, whether within their families or within the
wider world. They lack a sense of roots. For others, by contrast, the inherited legacy may
even be too powerful and outright oppressive.
In all cases, understanding History is integral to a good understanding of the
condition of being human. That allows people to build, and, as may well be necessary, also
to change, upon a secure foundation. Neither of these options can be undertaken well
without understanding the context and starting points. All living people live in the here-and-
now but it took a long unfolding history to get everything to NOW. And that history is located
in time-space, which holds this cosmos together, and which frames both the past and the
present.
Activity: What kind of sources are these?
Directions: Identify whether the following sources are Primary or Secondary. Write P
or S on the blanks provided before the number.

_____1. Textbooks _____6. Journals

_____2. Interviews _____7. Biography
_____3. Diary _____8. Museums
_____4. Newspaper _____9. Dictionary
_____5. Autopsy/Autopsies _____10. Autobiography

Directions: Compare and contrast the primary from the secondary source. Please fill
in the chart below.

PRIMARY SOURCE SECONDARY SOURCE

Primary sources are…
 Immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct
connection with it.
 Texts of laws and other original documents.
 Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote
people who did.
 Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews - what the people involved said
or wrote.
 Original research.
 Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics.

Samples of Primary Sources:

1. Diaries and journals
Example: Anne Frank was a teenager during
World War II. She kept a diary or journal the
years before she died in a concentration camp.
Her diary was later published as the “Diary of
Anne Frank”. This is a primary source.

2. Autobiographies
Example: Nelson Mandela wrote his autobiography
about events in his life called “Long Walk to
Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.”
This is a primary document because he wrote his
first hand experiences.

3. Sound Recordings and interviews

Example: During the Great Depression and World War
II, television had not been invented yet. The people
would often sit around the radio to listen to President
Roosevelt’s war messages. Those radio addresses are
considered “primary sources.”
Secondary Sources are…
 One step removed from primary sources, though they often quote or
otherwise use primary sources.
 They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of interpretation and
analysis.
 Analysis or interpretation of data.
 Provide second-hand information and commentary from other
researchers.

Think about it like this…. If I tell you something, I am the primary source. If you
tell someone else what I told you, you are the secondary source.

Secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers, magazines,

books or articles found that evaluate or criticize someone else's original
research.

How to tell if a source is primary or secondary:

To determine if something can be used as a primary or
secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions
you can ask yourself:

1. Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying
(primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?

2. Am I interested in analyzing the source itself (primary) or only using it for background
information (secondary)?
3. Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon
information from other sources (secondary)?

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

 Make new discoveries

 Provide credible evidence for your arguments
 Give authoritative information about your topic

*Note: If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered
unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding
how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesize a large number of
primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They
allow you to:

 Gain background information on the topic

 Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
 Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly (e.g.
private letters or physical documents located elsewhere)

*Note: When you conduct a literature review, you can consult secondary sources to gain
a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find
cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Activity: Look for a place, a thing or a person that you think holds a great story or a great
contribution to our history. You may look for them inside your homes, your
neighborhood/community. Take a picture of them and write a short description about
them. Be original, do not get your pictures from the internet.

Historical Criticism
 In order for a source to be used as evidence in history, basic matters
about its form and content must be settled.

The 2 types of Historical Criticism

1. External Criticism
 The problem of authenticity
  To spot fabricated, forged, faked documents
 To distinguish a hoax or misrepresentation

2. Internal Criticism
 The Problem of Credibility
 Relevant particulars in the document – is it credible?
 Verisimilar – as close as what really happened from a critical
examination of best available sources

Activity: In the Venn diagram below, write down the differences between external and
internal criticism as well as their similarities in the middle part.
EXTERNAL CRITICISM INTERNAL CRITICISM
SIMILARITIES

References:
https://archives.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/resources/articles/why_history_matters.html
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Navigation/Community/Arcadia-and-THP-Blog/June-2016/Why-
It%E2%80%99s-Important-That-We-Study-
History#:~:text=History%20helps%20us%20develop%20a,understand%20how%20it%20works%20
now.