Comprehensive Notes on History & Historical Methodology

History

What is History?

  • Study of past events.
  • Reconstruction of the past using written records, oral history, cultural artifacts, and folk traditions.
  • Umbrella term: past events + memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation.

Perspectives on History

  • Louis Gottschalk: History (derived from Greek "istoia") means learning.
  • Nick Joaquin: History as culture is a process of creation or formation of "national culture."
  • Common definition: "the past mankind."

Relevance of History

  • Learn from past mistakes.
  • Informs our understanding of the world (past and present).
  • Develop judgment in global issues.
  • Tools to analyze and explain past problems.
  • The past impacts us today.

Quotes on History

  • Martin Luther King, Jr.: "We are not makers of history. We are made by history."
  • William Shakespeare: "There is a history in all men's lives."
  • Dr. Jose Rizal: “To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open a book that tells of her past.”

Sources of Historical Data

  • A place, person, or thing from which something comes or can be obtained.

Primary Sources

  • Materials produced by people directly involved in the event or topic being studied.
  • Original materials Examples:
    • Diaries
    • Eyewitness accounts
    • Photographs
    • Letters
    • Official Documents
    • Artifacts
    • Material Evidence
    • Interviews
    • Sound/video recordings.

Secondary Sources

  • Works that analyze, assess, or interpret a historical event, era, or phenomenon, generally using primary sources.
  • Examples:
    • Books
    • Articles
    • Scholarly journals
    • Speeches
    • Reviews
    • Research reports

Analyzing Historical Data

  • All sources must undergo rigorous scientific analysis (authenticity & accuracy).
  • Historical data are analyzed through external and internal criticism (Gottschalk, 1969).

External Criticism

  • Also known as "lower criticism."
  • Determines the validity of a document (historical significance).
  • Questions the trustworthiness of the data.
    • Test of Authenticity / Genuineness / Originality

Internal Criticism

  • Checks the credibility of the document's contents.
  • Evaluates primary sources for credibility, authenticity, and provenance based on inner evidence.
  • Questions the credibility of the author and the source.
    • Test of Credibility / Reliability
    • Determines character of the author and corroboration.

Key Questions for Criticism

External Criticism

  • When was it written?
  • Where was it written?
  • Why did it survive?
  • Who was the real author
  • Is primary document?
  • Authentic?

Internal Criticism

  • Eyewitness or secondhand account?
  • Why was it written?
  • Literal meaning?
  • Internal meaning?
  • Consistency?
  • Primary document?
  • Meaning in context?
  • Connotations?

Importance of Criticism

  • Unverified, falsified, or untruthful resources can lead to false conclusions.
  • Without thorough criticism, historical deception and lies are possible.

Context and Content Analysis

Ensures:

  • Source reliability
  • Data logic.

Context Analysis:

  • Is the source credible?
    • Historical context (time, place, situation).
    • Author’s background (intent, authority, previous work, life).
    • Source’s relevance (importance of the work, reasons for creation).

Content Analysis:

  • Is the information logical?
    • Main idea (general expression of the source).
    • Specific information (details supporting the main idea).
    • Arguments, comparing viewpoints, identifying biases and claims based on evidence.