Historical Sources PDF

GE1712 Historical Sources - materials used for the writing of history Classifications 1. Published materials are materials that have been published for public use, such as books, magazines,...

GE1712 Historical Sources - materials used for the writing of history Classifications 1. Published materials are materials that have been published for public use, such as books, magazines, reading journals, travelogues, or speech transcripts. 2. Manuscripts are any handwritten or typed record that has not been printed, such as archival materials, memoirs, and diaries. 3. Non-written sources, such as oral history, artifacts, ruins, fossils, artworks, video and audio recordings Primary sources – materials produced by people or groups directly involved in the event or topic being studied – either participants or witnesses – range from eyewitness accounts, diaries, letters, legal documents, and official documents (government or private) and even photographs Categories: 1. Written Sources – materials written and/or published by a firsthand eyewitness or the participant 2. Images – visual documents published or made by an eyewitness, or the participant 3. Artifacts – materials made by a firsthand eyewitness, or the participant 4. Oral testimonies – documented conversations written and/or published by a firsthand eyewitness, or the participant Kinds of Primary Sources Used 1. Fossil Remains 11. Magazines 2. Artifacts and Ruins 12. Legislative Journals 3. Royal Decrees and Laws 13. Court Records 4. Official Reports 14. Speeches 5. Chronicles 15. Personal Letters 6. Friar Accounts 16. Online Databases 7. Maps 17. Blogs 8. Memoirs 18. Documentary Films 9. Personal Accounts 19. Recorded Interviews 10. Newspapers Some Repositories (Archives) of Primary Sources in NCR 1. The National Archives of the Philippines (Manila) 2. The National Library (Manila) 3. The National Historical Commission (NHC) (Manila) 4. The National Museum Complex (Manila) 5. Private Museums and Shrines a. The Lopez Memorial Museum (Pasig) b. The Ayala Museum (Makati) 6. The Big Four (4) University Libraries a. University of the Philippines Main Library (Quezon City) b. Ateneo de Manila University’s Rizal Library (Quezon City) c. The American Historical Collection (Ateneo) (Quezon City) d. De La Salle University Libraries (Manila) e. University of Santo Tomas’ Library (Manila) Some Repositories (Archives) of Primary Sources Outside NCR 1. Local Archives 4. Local History Museums and Shrines 2. Local Libraries 5. Local University Libraries 3. NHC Branch Offices 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 1 of 4  GE1712 Some International Repositories (Archives) of Primary Sources 1. The Library of Congress (Washington, DC, USA) 2. The National Archives and Records Administration (Washington, DC, USA) 3. Archivo General de Indias (Sevilla, Spain) 4. Archive General de la Nación (Mexico City, Mexico) Secondary sources – materials that analyze and interpret primary sources – may have pictures, quotes, or graphics of primary sources in them Examples of secondary sources can be history books and printed materials, such as serials and periodicals, which interpret previous researches. Historical Criticism External Criticism Tests of Authenticity 1. Anachronistic Document Date – determining the date of the document to see whether they are anachronistic (i.e. being out of time) E.g. Mobile phones did not come into fashion before the 21st century. 2. Author – determining the author’s manuscript (handwriting), which includes the signature and seals 3. Anachronistic Style – determining whether the idiom, orthography (conventional spelling), or punctuation is anachronistic E.g. The spelling of the Filipino term catuiran fell out of use by the early-20th century. 4. Anachronistic Event Reference – determining whether the event mentioned is too early, too late, or too remote/distant E.g. Rizal was not executed on the year 1901. 5. Provenance or Custody – determining its genuineness 6. Semantics – determining the meaning of the text, phrase, sentence, or word E.g. The term paraluman was once defined as a device to serve as a guide (i.e. a compass) but is now defined as a woman who becomes a source of inspiration due to her beauty (i.e. a muse). 7. Hermeneutics – determining the ambiguity (i.e. open to more than one (1) interpretation; vague) E.g. Juan Luna’s critically acclaimed painting, Spoliarium, can be interpreted in two (2) ways. The artwork’s descriptive interpretation depicts a despoiling scene in a Roman arena with onlookers waiting to get the spoils while loved ones weep of loss. Its analytical interpretation, however, shows the abuses of those in power back in the Spanish regime as onlookers never seem to be bothered by the otherwise macabre scene and await to steal what isn’t theirs. Internal Criticism Tests of Credibility 1. Author’s Identification – determining the author’s reliability, mental processes, personal attitude, and relationships 2. Date Approximation – determining the event’s date that must be verisimilar (i.e. almost close to the truth), if not exact, to the actual date 3. Ability to Tell the Truth – determining the witness’ nearness to the event, competence, and degree of attention to attain verisimilar facts 4. Willingness to Tell the Truth – determining if the author consciously or unconsciously tells falsehoods 5. Corroboration – determining if the piece of information receives, supports, or confirms a theory or finding, usually referring to historical facts (i.e. particulars that rest upon the independent testimony of two or more reliable witnesses) 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 2 of 4  GE1712 Some applications Photograph Manipulation Journalism E-mail and Internet Fraud Legal Studies Archaeology and History From Artifacts into Mentifacts According to the Social Sciences, an artifact (also spelled as artefact) is a material made by man that describes what culture he belongs to. But it does not necessarily refer to physical objects only. Social artifacts are also materials, but they settle their impact on the “social” aspect of the material rather than the “artifact” aspect. For example, an air-conditioning unit, in its “cultural artifact” definition, is a tool made by man to control heat, but its “social artifact” definition would turn it into an object who made people living in hotter climates change their lifestyle due to having it. Sociofacts are the ways in which people organize their society and relate to one (1) another. Generally speaking, a sociofact is the information, tradition, or event people associate with that artifact. So, going back to the air-conditioning unit, if the unit is made to control heat, then its sociofact to the people is that it represents office duties for those who work long hours, or to those who enjoy skating in an indoor ice skating rink, an air- conditioning unit may stand for a cold Christmas skating. Mentifacts are the ideas, beliefs, and values that people hold on, see, and associate to an artifact. Simply put, mentifacts are the ideas that people generally thought of whenever they see or use that artifact, and relate it to their culture, or a local proverb or saying. So, if an air-conditioning unit is used for office work, then they can associate the artifact with comfort and relaxation. To some, they might associate it with the tragedies of summer heat and/or heatstroke. Or, it could also stand for the longing of a loved one working in a country with a colder climate. Mentifacts, together with artifacts and sociofacts, contribute to the development of culture, and account for any and all of the following: manners customs beliefs ceremonies rituals tools laws (written and unwritten) institutions religious beliefs myths and legends social taboos values concept of self art and art objects language ideals customs food accepted ways of behaving holidays books Always keep in mind that the whole part of a culture is greater than the sum of its parts, and these parts are interrelated to each other. One (1) can safely say that a tool (the artifact) involves the custom (the sociofact) where that tool is used for, and the ideas and concepts behind it (the mentifact). Culture is created by the people. It exists in time and space, where humans act and react on that given space, the passage of time, and their thoughts about things, themselves, and others. Finaly, culture is learned. Genetics has nothing to do with it. One (1) can speak, think, and act the way one (1) does because of the people and the culture one (1) is surrounded with. REFERENCES: Cuadra, J. (2017). Philippine prehistory [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila. Damilig, A., Ph.D. & Cuadra, J. (2017). Historical sources [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila. Damilig, A., Ph.D. & Cuadra, J. (2017). Repositories of primary sources - EXAM [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 3 of 4  GE1712 Fantini, A. E., & Fantini, B. C. (1995). Artifacts, sociofacts, mentifacts: A sociocultural framework. Retrieved from https://www.learner.org/workshops/tfl/resources/s5_artifacts.pdfDamilig, A., Ph.D. & Cuadra, J. (2017). Understanding history [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila. Huxley, J. S. (1955). Guest editorial: Evolution, cultural, and biological. In Yearbook of Anthropology. Chicago, IL : The University of Chicago Press. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 4 of 4