The Nature of History as a Discipline PDF

THE NATURE OF HISTORY AS A DISCIPLINE History is derived from 3 foreign words: 1.) Historia (Latin) – which means “inquiry or investigation”. 2.) Historie (French) – which means “knowing”. 3.) Histor/Istor (Greek) – which means “learned or wise man”.  Requisites for events to be...

THE NATURE OF HISTORY AS A DISCIPLINE History is derived from 3 foreign words: 1.) Historia (Latin) – which means “inquiry or investigation”. 2.) Historie (French) – which means “knowing”. 3.) Histor/Istor (Greek) – which means “learned or wise man”.  Requisites for events to be considered historically significant: 1.) Events should be based on facts. 2.) Events should be past human events. 3.) Events should be definite in time and place. 4.) Events should be social in nature. History – is the art and science of investigating and recording past human events that are definite in time and place, social in nature, and socially significant.  3 Basic Sources of History 1.) Written records – diaries, newspapers, chronicles, journals, etc. - “no document, no history” 2.) Oral traditions – epics, legends, folktales, riddles, myths, etc. 3.) Relics – skeletal remains, stone Classification of Sources 1.) Primary Sources – sources produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being studied. E.g. archival documents, photographs , memorabilia, drawings, oral history (eyewitness), letters, census, government records, etc. 2.) Secondary sources – sources produced by an author who used primary sources to produced the material. E. g. books, articles, journals, etc. Primary Sources Photogra ph Primary Sources Newspap er Primary Sources Voice Recording Primary Sources Written documen t Primary Sources Old map Secondary Sources Books Secondary Sources Film Secondary Sources Modern map The historian should be able to conduct an external and internal criticism of the sources… External criticism – the practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence by examining its physical characteristics. Internal criticism – the examination of the truthfulness of the evidence. Herodotus = “Father of History” = his great work entitled History. Thucydides = write the “History of the Peloponnesian War.”  Dating Method B.C. Before Christ A.D. Anno Domini C circa which means “about” B.C. Avanti Cristo/Before Christ C. E. Common Era/Anno Domini So, why study history? The following among others will answer for us: 1. Rizal: “In order to read the destiny of the people, it is necessary to open the book of its past.” 2. Morga: “ It is necessary first to make known to us the past in order that we may be able to judge better the present.” Filipino/Tagalog Saying: “ Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.”(Loosely Translated: “One who does not look back to where he came from will never reach his 4. Karl Heinz-Hansen: “A people not prepared to face his own past cannot manage its own future:” 5. Agoncillo: “If you are afraid of the truth, don’t go to history.” 6. George Santayana: “ Those who can not remember the past are condemn to repeat it:” 7. John Mchale: “The future of the past is in the future; the future of the present is in the past; the future of the future is in the present:” 8. William Allan White: “I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen 9. Anonymous: “I am just catching up with yesterday for tomorrow I shall be ready for today:” 10. Lourd de Vera: “Ang taong walang kasaysayan ay walang saysay.” 11. Oliver Windell Holmes: “What is important in this world is not so much where we stand but to which  Importance of History a.) Bridging the gap between the past and present. b.) Explaining causes of things and events. c.) Projecting the future. d.) Interpreting conditions of a given space and time. e.) Promoting nationalism and patriotism.