SOUTHERN CAPITAL

COLLEGES ​Oroquieta City

LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE

2 “Readings in Philippine
History”
 FIRST SEMESTER
2020-2021

College of Education, College of Business Administration & College of Criminology

COURSE CODE: GE 1- Readings in Philippine History ​1st​ ​Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021

Introduction to History: Definition, Issues, Sources, and

Methodology

INTRODUCTIO
N

Readings in Philippine History focuses in developing your historiographical

skills connected to context and content analysis, applying both analytical strategies
in themes and topics across the Philippine past. Primary sources will be the ultimate
bridge between the past and the present, allowing spaces for students to simply not
parrot facts about the past but to gain knowledge that can be used in proposing
solutions to the problems of today.

Introduction to History: Definition, Issues, Sources and Methodology is a

general appraisal of history as a discipline and as a narrative. This module aims to
introduce you to history as a theoretical field, as well as discuss the historiographical
method of the evaluation of primary source.

Intended Learning Outcomes

ILO 1. ​To understand the meaning of history as an academic discipline and to be

familiar with the underlying philosophy and methodology of the discipline. ​ILO 2.
To apply the knowledge in historical methodology and philosophy
in assessing and analyzing existing historical narratives. ​ILO 3. ​To examine and
assess critically the value of historical evidences
and sources. ​ILO 4. ​To appreciate the importance of history in the social and
national
life of the Philippines.

Activit
y

Answer the following questions in a one whole sheet of paper:

1. What is history? 2. What do you think are the issues in history that
consequently
opens up for the theoretical aspects of the discipline? 3. What is the distinction
between primary and secondary sources?
LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE
2 “Readings in Philippine History”

• • • ​SOUTHERN
CAPITAL COLLEGES ​Oroquieta
City 531-1170 [email protected]
www.sacccoroquietacity.com
 LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE
2 “Readings in Philippine History”
•••

Discussio
n

Definition and Subject Matter

History has always been known as the study of the past. Students of general
education have low appreciation of the discipline for its notoriety in requiring them to
memorize dates, places, names, etc. and the shallow understanding of history’s
relevance to their lives and to their respective contexts. This popular definition of
history is not wrong but does not give justice to the complexity of the subject and its
importance to human civilization.

History was derived from the Greek word ​historia ​which means “knowledge
acquired through inquiry or investigation”. History as a discipline existed for around
2,400 years and became known until the early parts of the twentieth century as the
account of the past of a person or of a group of people through written documents
and historical evidences. Traditional historians lived with the mantra of ​“no
document, no history” ​which means that unless a written document can prove a
certain historical event, then it cannot be considered as a historical fact.

Loopholes in the definition of history such as those peasants families or

indigenous groups who were not given much thought about being registered to
government records compared to those nobilities, monarchs, the elite, etc. was
recognized by historians who started using other kinds of historical sources which
may not be in written form but were just as valid such as oral traditions in forms of
epics and songs, artifacts, architecture, and memory. Thus, history become more
inclusive and started collaborating with other disciplines such as archaeology,
linguistic, scientists like biologists and chemists as its auxiliary disciplines.

Questions and Issues in

History
 Questions like what is history? Why study history? And history for whom? can
be answered by ​historiography​. I​ n simple terms, ​historiography i​ s the history of
history. This gives the students have a better understanding of history as it answers
the questions about history itself such as How was a certain historical text written?
What was the context of its publication? And what particular historical method was
employed?

History has played various roles in the past. States use history to unite a
nation. It can be used as a tool to legitimize regimes and forge a sense of collective
identity through collective memory. Lessons from the past can be used to make
sense of the present. Learning of past mistakes can help people to not repeat them.
Being reminded of a great past can inspire people to keep their good practices to
move forward.

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LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE
2 “Readings in Philippine History”
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As a narrative, any history that has been taught and written is always
intended for a certain group of audience. For example the ​ilustrados ​like Jose Rizal,
Isabelo de los Reyes, and Pedro Paterno wrote history for the Spaniards so that they
would realize that Filipinos are people of their own intellect and culture.

One of the problems confronted by history is the accusation that the history is
always written by victors. This connotes that the narrative of the past is always
written from the bias of the powerful and the more dominant player.

Exercis
e
Exercise
1.1
Direction: ​Answer the following questions. Write your answer in a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Compare and contrast positivism and postcolonialism. 2. Give three (3)

examples of a history that has been taught and written
intended for a certain group of audience. 3. Cite a historical basis about the
history of Second World War in the Philippines depicting the United States as the
hero and the Imperial Japanese Army as the oppressors that reveals a more
nuanced account of the history of that period.

Discussio
n

History and the

Historian

Historians only get to access representation of the past through historical

sources and evidences. Therefore, it is the historian’s job not just to seek historical
facts but also to interpret these facts. “Facts cannot speak for themselves”. It is the
job of the historian to give meaning to these facts and organize them into a timeline,
establish causes and write history.

Historians are influenced by his own as indicated below:

1. Context 2.
Environment 3.
Ideology 4.
Education 5.
Influences

In that sense, his interpretation of the historical fact is affected by his context
and circumstances and his subjectivity will inevitably influence the process of his
historical research; the methodology that he will use, the facts that he shall select
and deem relevant, his interpretation, and even the form of his writings.
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LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE
2 “Readings in Philippine History”
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The study of history remains scientific as it requires rigor of research and

methodology. ​Historical methodology c​ omprises certain techniques and rules that
historians follow in order to properly utilize sources and historical evidences in
writing history.

Exercis
e
Exercise
1.2

Direction: ​Answer the following questions. Write your answer in a separate sheet of
paper.

1. What is Annales School of History? 2. If you are a historian and studying an

ethnic history of a certain ethnic group in the Philippines through the use of oral
accounts, how would you validate the claims of those people whom you
interviewed? 3. Why maintaining rigor as a researcher an important tool in
making
judgment?

Discussio
n

Historical
Sources
The historian’s most important tools are historical sources: primary and
secondary sources. The classification of sources between these two categories
depends on the historical subject being studied.
 Primary Sources a ​ re those sources produced at the same times as the
event, period, or subject being studied. For example, if a historian wishes to study
the Commonwealth Constitution Convention of 1935, his primary sources can
include the minutes of the convention, newspaper clippings, Philippine Commission
reports of the US Commissioners, records of the convention, the draft of the

Constitution, and even photographs of the event. ​Secondary Sources ​are those

sources, which were produces by an author ​ who used primary sources to produce
the material. In other words, secondary sources are historical sources, which studied
a certain historical subject. For example, on the subject of the Philippine Revolution
of 1896, students can read Teodoro Agoncillo’s ​Revolt of the Masses: The Story
of Bonifacio and the Katipunan p ​ ublished originally in 1956.

Both primary and secondary sources are useful in writing and learning
history. However, historians and students need to thoroughly scrutinize these
historical sources to avoid deception and to come up with the historical truth. The
historian should be able to conduct an external and internal criticism of the source,
especially primary sources which can age in centuries.

External criticism ​is the practice of verifying the authenticity of

evidence by examining its physical characteristics; consistency with the

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LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE
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historical characteristics of the time when it was produced; and the materials used
for the evidence.

Internal criticism,​ on the other hand, is the examination of the

truthfulness of the evidence. It looks at the content of the source and examines the
circumstances of its production. Internal criticism looks at the truthfulness and
factuality of the evidence by looking at the author of the source, its context, the
agenda behind its creation, the knowledge which informed it, and its intended
purpose, among others.

Exercis
e
Exercise 1.3
True or
False

Direction: ​Write ​true ​if the statement is true. Otherwise, write ​false ​in the space
provided.

1. History is the study of the past. 2. Historical sources that were not written should
not be used in writing history.
3. The subject of historiography is history itself. 4. History has no use for the present,
thus, the saying “past is past” is true.
5. History is limited to the story of a hero versus a villain. 6. Only primary sources
may be used in writing history. 7. There are three types of sources: primary,
secondary, and tertiary sources.
8. External criticism is done by examining the physical characteristics
of a source.
9. Internal criticism is done by looking at a source’s quality of paper
and type of ink, among others.
10. The historians are the only source of history.

Exercis
e
Exercise 1.4
What
Source?

Direction: Read the following scenarios and classify the sources discovered as
primary, secondary, ​or ​tertiary ​sources. Write and discuss your answer in a
separate sheet of paper.
 1. Jose was exploring the library in his new school in Manila. He wanted to
study the history of Calamba, Laguna during the nineteenth century. In one
of the books, he saw an old photograph of a woman standing in front of an
old church, clipped among the pages. At the back of the photo was a fine
inscription that says: “​Kalamba, 19 de Junio 1861.

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LEARNING MODULE 1 GE 1/GE
2 “Readings in Philippine History”
•••

2. Lorena was a new teacher of Araling Panlipunan in a small elementary

school in Mauban, Quezon. Her colleagues gave her the new textbook that
she ought to use in class. Before the class started, Lorena studied the
textbook carefully. She noted that the authors used works by other known
historians in writing the textbook. She saw that the bibliography included
Teodoro Agoncillo’s ​The Revolt of the Masses a ​ nd ​The Fateful Years:
Japan’s Adventure in the Philippines, 1941-1945. S ​ he also saw that the
authors used Ma. Luisa Camagay’s ​Working Women of Manila During the
​
19th
​ Century ​and many others.

3. Manuel visited the United States for a few months to see his relatives
who have lived there for decades. His uncle brought him on tours around
Illinois. Manuel visited the Field Museum of Natural History where a golden
image of a woman caught his eye. Manuel looked closed and read that the
image was called “The Golden Tara”. It originated from Agusan del Sur and
was brought by the museum in 1922. It was believed to be made prior to
the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines.

Exercis
e
Exercise 1.5 ​My
Primary Source
Direction: ​Using the primary sources in this module, show a primary resource that
can be used in the writing of your life history. Paste this in a separate sheet of paper
and discuss how it qualifies as a primary resource.

Reference

Alporpha, V. & Candelaria, J. (2018). ​Readings in Philippine History.

Sampaloc, Manila: Rhex Boox Store, Inc.

Prepared by:

HELIODORA A.
SALES
Instructor