TOPIC NO.
1
Salay Community
College
Poblacion, Salay, Misamis Oriental
General Education Department
GEC 2: Readings in Philippine History
1st Semester of A.Y. 2023-2024
Introduction
In this module you are going to define different facets of Philippine history through the lens of varying
perspectives. This will also introduce you to history as a discipline and as a narrative. This presents the
COURSE MODULE
definitions which transcends the common – history as the study of the past. The distinction between the
primary and secondary sources is also being discussed in relation to the historical subject being studied.
Rationale
Define the relevance of history & distinctions of its sources
Intended Learning Outcomes
A. Define the importance of history and historiography.
B. Find the value on the different sources of facts and the varying criticism
C. Identify sources based on their credibility, authenticity, and provenance.
Level of Learning
Remembering: Re defining Philippine History.
1
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
Discussion
Readings in Philippine History ( GEC 2 )
COURSE MODULE
blogspot.com
“History” - comes from a Greek word “ historia” means knowledge
- Account of the past of a person through written documents
- Important academic discipline
- Tools ( written document, oral tradition, artefacts, architecture, memory)
- Aid with other disciplines ( ex. Geography, Anthropology & Linguistics )
Old / traditional understanding :
Study of the past / a chronological record of significant events often including an explanation of their causes.
“Historiography” – History of history ( provides the understanding of the facts )
Understanding Nationalism based on primary document
Written by men close to the events they describe often by eyewitness
frequently by active participation ( those who made or saw it made )
USES OF HISTORY
A. Unite a nation
B. Legitimize Regime
C. Forge a sense of identity
D. Make sense of the present
E. Learning from the past
F. Inspiration to move forward
Discourse of History ( False claims ) :
I. History requires an empirical and observable evidence ( entails objective means )
II. History highlights identity not the methods ( Reaction to Colonialism )
III. History is always written for the Victors ( ex. World war II )
2
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
IV. History is influenced by historians ( subjectivity )
V. Historical facts cannot speak for themselves ( historical methodology )
Understanding History :
1. Methods in studying history
2. Methods of ascertaining the facts
3. Controlled imagination
4. Systematic study
Dimensions of History :
1) Methods ( Scientific ) – follow Rules & Systematic study
2) Exposition & Narrative ( Art ) – Imagination, literary taste, critical standard
3) Interpretation of Life ( Philosophy ) – Insights and Judgements
“Historical Research” – Critical engagement with the records of the past that can produce useful
knowledge about that record of events.
Researcher should be :
COURSE MODULE
Rigorous reader ( knows the limit )
Craft Skills ( Artistic aspect )
Awareness ( knows how their own experience affects the interpretation of the
past )
Historical Sources
Distinction of Primary & Secondary Sources
( Louis Moreau Gottschalk, University of Chicago )
1) Primary Sources
Called as “ ORIGINAL SOURCE”
Produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being studied.
It is an artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording or any other source
of information that was created at the time under study.
Firsthand accounts of a topic
Raw materials ( document or artifact closest )
Ex. Archives and manuscript materials, photographs, audio recording and videos
What is a primary source?
Primary sources were either created during the time period being studied or were created at a later date by a
participant in the events being studied (as in the case of memoirs). They reflect the individual viewpoint of a
participant or observer. Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually
happened during an historical event or time period
Moreover, sources are the historical documents used by historians as evidence. Examples of primary sources
include diaries, personal journals, government records, court records, property records, newspaper articles,
military reports, military rosters, and many other things.
Thus, determining whether an item may be considered to be a primary source is to ask how soon after the
3
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
event was the information recorded.
Primary sources
Examples of primary resources include:
diaries, correspondence, ships' logs
original documents e.g. birth certificates, trial transcripts
biographies, autobiographies, manuscripts
interviews, speeches, oral histories
case law, legislation, regulations, constitutions
government documents, statistical data, research reports
a journal article reporting NEW research or findings
creative art works, literature
newspaper advertisements and reportage and editorial/opinion pieces
Primary sources can be found using:
COURSE MODULE
Library collection
Primary sources for history subject guide
2) Secondary Sources
Information created by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the event
Produced out of many primary sources (historical sources)
Describe, discuss, interpret, comment, evaluate, summarize
Process primary information
Produced after the fact ( not evidence but usually comments & discussions )
What is a secondary source?
A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes information from primary
sources. It is the typical history book which may discuss a person, event or other historical topic. A good
secondary source uses primary sources as evidence. Common examples include:
Books, articles and documentaries that synthesize information on a topic
Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
Encyclopedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something
Secondary sources are usually written some time after an event has taken place. They are created by authors
who have examined a subject and have drawn certain conclusions about it. Though the information is not
firsthand, secondary sources are important because research, by necessity, is built upon the work of other
4
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
scholars. Biographies, scholarly books, and journal articles are examples of secondary sources. As with
primary sources, many secondary sources are also subjective and contain bias.
It is not always easy to determine if a source is primary or secondary according to the definitions provided.
Sources are characterized by their content, regardless of their format. In other words, you must think about
the information itself rather than the "package" it comes in. Additionally, a source can be both primary and/or
secondary, depending on the context in which it is used. Primary sources can often be found embedded
within secondary sources.
3) Tertiary Sources
Chief purpose is to summarize or simply reorganize ideas or other information
Ex. Bibliographies, Index, abstract, organize, compile and digest.
How to tell if a source is primary or secondary
COURSE MODULE
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:
Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying (primary) or from
another researcher (secondary)?
Am I interested in analyzing the source itself (primary) or only using it for background information
(secondary)?
Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from
other sources (secondary)?
Primary vs secondary sources: which is better?
Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a
convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your
work relates to existing research.
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
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:
5
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
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)
Historical Process ( Criticism )
Types of Criticism
1. Internal Criticism
Also known as “Higher Criticism”
Investigates the origin of the ancient text to understand the world behind it.
Investigates the meaning and trustworthiness of the contexts.
Look at the value and worth of its contents
The goal is to find the original meaning ( restore ) & reconstruction of the historical
situation
COURSE MODULE
Engages with the meaning of the text
Looks at the readability of source & the authors good faith, motive & competence
Truthfulness of the evidence
Content of the source
Circumstance of its production
Credibility of the author ( context, agenda, knowledge, intention )
Sample Question :
1. Who was the author?
2. What is the connection of the author towards the document?
3. What is the degree of familiarity of the author?
4. Could the author be in the place?
5. Is the information’s original with him?
6. Is the statement of document consistent with the writer?
7. Are the observations held independent?
2. External Criticism
Also known as “ Lower Criticism”
The source is authentic by checking the validity of the source.
Important in analyzing data ( to trust the data or not )
Verifying with the use of physical characteristics ( consistency )
Ex. Quality of paper, type of ink, language that is used.
Repositories of Primary Sources :
A. National Archives of the Philippines
B. National Library of the Philippines
C. National Historical House of the Philippines
6
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
“A listing of over 5,000 websites describing holding of manuscripts archives, rare books,
histological photograph for research scholars.”
Contextual Analysis
- Is a method to analyze the environment in which a business operates.
Analyzing :
What is it telling you?
Clarify any unfamiliar terms or concepts
Historical context provides information, background you need
Focus on the selected parts to better understand the whole things
Don’t jump to conclusion too soon
Hear all the evidence before making a decisions
Consider all the information of the source
Answer the suggested questions
Learners can be ( attorney, detectives, jury )
COURSE MODULE
Links & Other Additional Sources
Video links :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7NTW3n8luY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeeC7cGk2mk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewE96I6Hzlo
In this module you are exposed to the definitions &/or terms of readings in history. You are also
guided to analyze Philippine history from a multiple perspective through the lens of selected
primary sources coming from various disciplines and of different genres. In line with these, you are
going to test your knowledge on Re defining your idea on what history is all about by taking up a
short quiz.
Short Quiz
7
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
TOPIC NO.1
Sources Additional Resources
Candelaria, J. & Alporha, V.(2018) Readings in Philippine History, Manila, Philippines, Rex
Publishing
I
COURSE MODULE
8
Developed by: Jugie J. Tab as
