Mindanao State University

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Marawi City 9700, Philippines

HISTORY DEPARTMENT

GEC 105- READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

MODULE 2: SOURCES OF HISTORY AND HISTORICAL CRITICISMS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Distinguish between primary and secondary sources;

2. Develop critical and analytical skill with exposure to primary sources;
3. Evaluate historical sources for their credibility, authenticity, and provenance; and
4. Understand the context behind different sources.

CONTENT

1. Sources of History 

Historians study the sources that the past has left behind. No statement about the past can carry conviction unless it can be
supported by reference to the historical sources, the evidence upon which historians base their ideas and interpretations. Historians
inevitably spend a lot of time reading each other's writings, but the real historical work is done - and the real enjoyment is to be had –
in studying the sources, the actual 'stuff' of history.
Historical evidences are important proof of the truthfulness of the past. In the aim towards objectivity of the writing
of history, these evidences become the sources of historical data. "Sources/ "Batis7 "Sanggunian" refers to the
basis of claims or analysis of the historian. They serve as the evidences utilized in the study of history.

In history, sources are classified mainly into: Primary and Secondary Sources. Primary and secondary sources form the
cornerstones of historical research. A modern-day work of history is essentially a description and interpretation of primary
sources, along with commentary of secondary sources, both using them in reference to the subject matter at hand, and
agreeing and disagreeing with them. 

A. Primary Sources 

A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art. These are the evidences by
eyewitnesses or created by people who experienced the said event or phenomena. The historian's responsibility is to organize
the primary sources into a coherent account to become secondary source. 

A primary source is direct source of historical information dating from the period in question.

In the natural and social sciences, primary sources are often empirical studies-research where an experiment was
performed or a direct observation was made.

Examples of Primary Sources includes A baptismal register, A Philippine coin minted in 1910 would be a primary
source about the American colonial period. A newspaper printed in 1943 would be a primary source from the
Japanese period. historical and legal documents, eyewitness accounts, results of experiments, statistical data,
pieces of creative writing, audio and video recordings, speeches, and art objects. Interviews, surveys, fieldwork,
and Internet communications via email, blogs, and newsgroups
B. Secondary Sources 
Secondary sources, on the other hand, are interpretations of history They describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze,
evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. These are the products of people or writers who were not part of the event or
phenomena. 

One can consider them as history books, although this is a bit misleading, as secondary sources can include
articles, movies, audio recordings, or any other source of media that interprets history. Teodoro Agoncillo's
Malolos: The Crisis of the Republic, though deals with the events of 1899 is a secondary source because it
interprets facts of the past; though dealing with the time-frame, it is not from the period in question. 

Secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles
found in scholarly journals that discuss or evaluate someone else's original research. 

C. Tertiary Sources
Tertiary sources contain information that has been compiled from primary and secondary sources.

Tertiary sources include almanacs, chronologies, dictionaries and encyclopedias, directories, guidebooks, indexes,
abstracts, manuals, and textbooks. 

D. Types of Historical Sources 

Students of History and Historians can get their historical sources, primary or secondary, from the following:

1. Archival Material. Manuscripts and archives are primary sources.

including business and personal correspondence,

diaries and journals,
legal and financial documents, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, objects,
oral histories, computer tapes, and video and audio cassettes.
Some archival materials are published and available in print or online. 

2. Government Documents. Government documents provide evidence of activities, functions, and policies at all
government levels. For research that relates to the workings of government, government documents are primary
sources.

These documents include hearings and debates of legislative bodies;

the official text of laws. regulations and treaties;
records of government expenditures and finances; and
statistical compilations of economic, demographic, and scientific data.

3. Serials. Journals. magazines, and newspapers are serial publications that are published on an ongoing
basis. Many scholarly journals in the sciences and social sciences include primary source articles where the
authors report on research they have undertaken.

Serials may also include book reviews, editorials, and review articles. Review articles s ummarize research on a
particular topic, but they do not present any new findings; therefore, they are considered secondary sources. Their
bibliographies, however, can be used to identify primary sources. 

4. Books. Most books are MOSTLY secondary sources, where authors reference primary source materials and add
their own analysis. HOWEVER, Books can also function as primary sources. For example, Jose Rizal's own letters
and essays would be primary sources.

Visual and Audio Materials Visual materials such as maps, photographs, prints, graphic arts, and original art forms
can provide insights into how people viewed and/or were viewed the world in which they existed.

Films, videos, TV programs, and digital recordings can be primary sources. Documentaries, feature films, and TV
news broadcasts can provide insights into the fantasies, biases, political attitudes, and material culture of the times
in which they were created.
Radio broadcast recordings, oral histories, and the recorded music of a particular era can also serve as primary
source material 

2. Historical Criticism 

The historian's role in writing history, to reiterate, is to provide meanings to facts that he gathered from primary sources (facts from
manuscripts, documents) or those that have been gathered by archaeologists or anthropologists (artifacts). He can only make
conclusions and generalizations based on them.

 It is therefore his duty to check on the authenticity of the sources that are presented to him to be used as basis in
writing history. Sources have to undergo doubting and therefore should be critically tested for validity. There are
two kinds of criticisms that a historian can use in the process; these are External and Internal Criticisms.

A. External Criticism 

The 'External Criticism' covers the physical examinations of sources like documents, manuscripts, books, pamphlets, maps,
inscriptions and monuments. In original documents it includes looking at the paper and ink used whether or not it is within the same
circa as the content of the work. Oftentimes its more difficult to establish the authenticity of manuscripts and records rather than
document simply because the printed document have already been authenticated by the writer.

Following are the elements that have to be taken into consideration in doing validation:
a. Authorship. The name of the author of the document usually provides credence in the establishment of validity of a
certain document. The author's name in itself can provided for the test of authenticity. In cases of anonymous writings
when the exact name of the author is not known then the office that holds the record should also be taken into
consideration. For example, if we are studying population records and we use documents from civil registrar's office
then that will lead to the consideration that the documents are authentic. 
b. Date and place of publication. The date of the document including the time and place of publication should be
properly analyzed in order to establish its authenticity. Modern day documents and publication have their date and
place of publication usually printed at the back of the title page. How ever, for manuscripts there are usually no date
and place of publications indicated. In such cases, the historian should look for dates mentioned within the manuscript
or cross check with other records. Sometimes an analysis of the language used or the date of birth and death of the
author can also be used as basis for the establishment of its true date. 

c. Textual errors. The historian should always be in the lookout for errors in the text of documents and manuscripts.
There are two kinds of errors in documents unintentional or intentional. Unintentional errors are mistakes that are
caused by typist or scribes usually in spelling, omitted words or phrases. Intentional error are often made when there
is an effort to modify or supplement existing records or original manuscript for personal intention or interest of the
record keeper or editor. In such cases, efforts should be made by the historian to get the original document and
compare or cross check with other related records or documents. Sometimes, the style of writing of the author can
also be used to authenticate the originality of the document. If the style of writing does not match the author's style of
writing then the document is dubious.

d. Meanings of words used. The meaning of words used usually changes from generation to generation, therefore the
historian have to interpret the words used based on the time when the document was made. Also, there are instances
when words mean differently in different places. In this case, the historian have to take into consideration the place
and culture when the document was made. He must be very careful in understanding the terms, if not any
misinterpretation will lead to historical misunderstandings. 

B. Internal Criticism 
Positive criticism refers to understanding of both literal and real meaning of words. A historian therefore must be able to analyze and
interpret the contents of documents in their real meaning. Document contains the idea of the person who wrote or made the
evidences, therefore they should be understood within that context.
 Historians should refrain from making their own conclusions so as not to convey their own interpretation rather than
the true meaning of the content. One important characteristic that a historian should possess is the capacity to
doubt all documents and facts when these are not yet subjected to authentication.

 The historian should question the motive of the writer and question the accuracy of the document.
 Likewise, the historian should verify if the writer of the document has a firsthand information or had experience the
phenomena he wrote and how long the time elapsed between the occurrence of the event and the time the
document was written.

 In cases of contradicting records, the historian should corroborate the facts from other claims or documents. The
truthfulness or veracity of the document should be established 

Guide Questions

1. How is a critical evaluation of a source relevant in writing history?

2. What is an internal and external criticisms? Why the need to study this?

3. In today’s easy click bait of fake news, how these lessons helped you to identify factual arguments?

*Note supporting reading materials and video presentation are also posted in your google classroom

References
1.Gottschalk, Luis. Understanding History: A Primer of Historical Method. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1950. (pp. 41- 61; 117-
170).

2. Candelaria, John Lee. Readings in Philippine History. First Edition. Rex Book Store, 2018.
3. Howell, Martha and Walter Prevenier. From Reliable Sources: An Introduction to Historical Method. Cornell University Press
2001.

4. Torres, Jose Victor, Batis: Sources in Philippine History. C&E Publishing, Inc. 2018.