History Notes

Introduction to History

Definition of History

  • History involves interpretation of records from the past, existing as artifacts, written accounts, and memories.
  • It is the events of the past, a continuous, systematic narrative of past events, or the study/record of past events.
  • History is considered together, particularly events of a period, country, or subject, usually written as a chronological account.
  • History includes an explanation of their causes (Merriam Webster Dictionary)

Etymology and Significance

  • The term history originates from the Ancient Greek word "historia," meaning inquiry.
  • Herodotus, known as the "Father of History," used "Histories."
  • Thucydides, the "Father of Scientific History," wrote "History of the Peloponnesian War."
  • Age of Classics "historia" means inquiry, investigation, research of past events, writing of history, historical narrative, recorded knowledge of the past events, account, description

Issues in Historical Study

  • A key issue is whether people without written documents can be considered to have no history.
  • Positivism suggests that without sensory experience verification, an idea cannot be considered real. Therefore, no document equates to no history.

Limitations of Historical Knowledge

  • Historical knowledge is limited by the incompleteness of records because most human affairs occur without leaving traces.
  • Oral traditions (myths, epics, songs), artifacts, architectures, and memories fill in gaps.
  • History is becoming more inclusive, collaborating with auxiliary disciplines like archaeology, languages, and science.

Reliability of Eyewitness Testimony

  • Eyewitness testimony can be unreliable, posing significant problems in criminal justice and civil litigation.
  • Reconstructive Memory: information can be deleted or added every time we remember an event.

Historiography

  • Historiography is the "history of history," promoting a deeper understanding of historical facts and the historian’s context.
  • It involves critical and analytical thinking and evidence to search for the truth through a closer examination of matters.

Kasaysayan

  • "Kasaysayan" (history in Filipino) is SALAYSAY + SAYSAY
  • Kasaysayan is a narrative (written, visual, oral, or a combination) about past events with meaning to a group in a given time and place.

Framing Philippine History

  • Philippine history can be framed into pre-colonial, Spanish, American, Japanese, and contemporary periods.

Goal of Historian

  • The goal of a historian is to reconstruct the total past of mankind.

R.G. Collingwood Quote

  • “Knowing yourself means knowing what you can do; and since nobody knows what he can do until he tries, the only clue to what man can do is what man has done.”

Historical Sources

Primary Sources
  • Primary sources are eyewitness accounts dating back to the actual time when the event took place.
  • Examples:
    • Created at the time of event
    • First-hand information and original data
      • interviews, diaries, letters, journals, speeches, autobiographies
      • articles with original research, data, or new findings
      • government documents and public records
      • art, maps, photographs, and music
      • artifacts, buildings, furniture, clothing
Secondary Sources
  • Secondary sources are produced after the event.
  • Examples:
    • summary or collection of existing data
    • One step removed from the original event
      • textbooks
      • review articles
      • biographies
      • historical films, music, and art
      • articles about people from the past
    • Will have a full citation of the original sources (bibliography)
Other Examples of Primary Sources
  • Photographs: Reflect social conditions or historical realities and everyday life.
  • Old Sketches and Drawings: Indicate conditions of life in past societies.
  • Old Maps: Reveal how space and geography were used, emphasizing trade routes and structural build-up.
  • Cartoons: For political expression or propaganda.
  • Material evidence of the prehistoric past
  • Archaeological and anthropological remains

Criticism of Primary Sources

External Criticism
  • Verifies authenticity by physical characteristics.
  • Checks consistency with historical character of the time.
  • Examples: quality of paper, printing or copying technique, language & words used
Internal Criticism
  • Examines the content and the circumstances of its production.
  • Considers: the author & their background, document’s context, agenda behind production, knowledge which informed it, and intended purpose

Historical Method

  • The historical method uses techniques and guidelines for historians to use primary sources and other evidence to search and write history.

Method of Historical Analysis

  • Selection of subject
  • Collection of sources
  • Examination of genuineness
  • Extraction from sources

Historical Criticism

  • Also known as historicism or higher criticism, it studies literary texts in terms of their historical origins and development.
  • It helps readers understand the work by reacting to the exact meaning and impact it had on its original audience.
Contextual Analysis
  • Deals with establishing authenticity or genuineness of data
  • Considers:
    • the historical context of the source (time and place it was written and the situation at the time)
    • author's background, intent, and authority of the subject
    • source's relevance and meaning today
Content Analysis
  • Concerned with the validity, credibility, or worth of the content of the document.
  • Considers:
    • author 's main argument or point of view
    • biases
    • author 's claim based on the evidences presented or other available evidence at the time