THE MEANING OF HISTORY

THE MEANING OF HISTORY

 The English word history is derived from the Greek word “istoia” meaning learning
 According to Aristotle, history is the systematic account of a set of natural phenomena whether or not
chronological ordering was a factor in an account, and this is considered as natural history. As time
passed, the equivalent Latin word “scientia”, which is science in English later was used more to designate
non-chronological systematic accounts of phenomena.
 Presently, the word “history” means the “past of mankind”. History is the study of past events, particularly
in human affairs.
 History in German is “Geschichte”, meaning, “that which has happened”. This means that the word
implies that history teaches and we may learn from the lessons of history.
 With the definition of history, it brings man to a recognition that history cannot be reconstructed, that the
past of mankind, much of it, is beyond recall. And that even the best of our memories cannot re-create our
past.
 The reconstruction of the total past of mankind is the total goal of historians which, however, is
unattainable. Historians will never really know everything that happened in the past.
 The problem that every historian confronts is that the evidence they rely on is likely to be fragmented,
incomplete and even contradictory. The result is, each historian’s conclusions are influenced by the
evidence they have selected from what is available and from how they interpreted it.
 And from whatever a historian only has will be the only thing that he can use to connect him to the past.
HISTORICAL METHOD
 The process of critically examining and analyzing the records and survivals of the past.
 To study objectively (intention of acquiring detached and truthful knowledge independent of one’s
personal reactions) a thing must first be an object and must have an independent resistance outside the
human mind). Most of history is based on the human mind since most of history is based upon recollection
(written or spoken history).
 In reconstruction, only a part of what was observed is remembered, only a part of what was remembered is
recorded, only a part of what was recorded survives, only a part of what survived comes to the historian’s
attention.
 Only of a part of what is credible has been grasped, only a part of what has been grasped can be
expounded and narrated by the historian.

HISTORICAL SOURCES
- Objects from the past or testimony concerning the past which historians use to create their own depiction of the
past.
1. According to Form
*Written Sources
 Published materials (books, journals etc.) and manuscript (handwritten and unprinted like archival
materials and memoirs)
*Non written Sources
 -Oral history, artifacts, fossils, etc.

2. According to Origin
*Primary Sources
 Testimony of an eyewitness
 It must have been produced by a contemporary of that is narrated. It is a document or physical
object written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an
experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event.
*Secondary Sources
 Interpret and analyze primary sources

 They are one or more steps removed from the event. Examples are printed textbooks.
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
o Settles matters on the form and content of a source
*External Criticism
 Deals with the problem of authenticity

 To spot hoaxes, fakes, forgeries and fabrications
 Tests of Authenticity are:
 Determine the date if it is Anachronistic: a material, skill or culture does not exist at that time
 Determine the author in the uniqueness of his handwriting or signature
 Determine the provenance or custody: genuineness
 Determine the Semantics, meaning of a text or word
 Determine the Hermeneutics, the ambiguities

*Internal Criticism
 deals with the problem of credibility.

 Tests of credibility are:
- Determine the Character of the Author, his reliability, and his ability and willingness to tell the truth
- Determine the Corroboration, historical facts rest upon the testimony of two or more reliable witnesses
KINDS OF PRIMARY SOURCES
 Records of social and cultural observations

 Chronicles
 Human Fossils (remains of ancient man imbedded in the earth such as bones, hair, skin etc.)
 Artifacts ( cultural evidences of man in the past such as tools and implements)
 Records of Detective Investigations
 Royal Decrees and Laws
 Official Reports
 Maps
 Memoirs or Autobiographies
 Personal accounts: record of interviews
 Newspapers and Magazines: reports of correspondents
 Legislative journals
 Court Records
REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES
National Archives of the Philippines
National Library of the Philippines
National Historical Commission of the Philippines

National Museum of the Philippines
Other Repositories of Primary Sources are the libraries of various universities in the Philippines such as the University
of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila Rizal Library and Museum, the American Historical Collection in ADMU,
and the University of Sto. Tomas Central Library and Museum.

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THE MEANING OF HISTORY

 -Oral history, artifacts, fossils, etc.

 Interpret and analyze primary sources

 Deals with the problem of authenticity

 deals with the problem of credibility.

 Records of social and cultural observations

National Archives of the Philippines

National Library of the Philippines

National Historical Commission of the Philippines

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