Introduction to Primary and Secondary Sources PDF

MODULE 1. INTRODUCTION TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES Ms. Valerie May M. Cruz-Claudio COURSE DESCRIPTION ▪ This course is on twentieth-century Philippine history through primary sources. It concentrates on the efforts to establish an independent democratic republic from the revolutionary peri...

MODULE 1. INTRODUCTION TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES Ms. Valerie May M. Cruz-Claudio COURSE DESCRIPTION ▪ This course is on twentieth-century Philippine history through primary sources. It concentrates on the efforts to establish an independent democratic republic from the revolutionary period to the contemporary period. Students learn Philippine political, social, economic, and cultural history through the critical analysis of written primary sources such as diaries, letters, and newspaper reports as well as other related sources such as photographs, art, video, and film. Through the careful examination, interpretation, and appraisal of these sources, s t u d e n t s e x p e r i e n c e t h e c r a f t i n g o f h i s t o r y. THINK LIKE A HISTORIAN On June 2, 1899, Luna received two telegrams (initially four, but he never received the last two) – one asked for help in launching a counterattack in San Fernando, WHO KILLED GEN. Pampanga; and the other, sent by Aguinaldo himself, LUNA? ordered him to go to the new capital at Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija to form a new cabinet. (INTERPRETATION 1) THINK LIKE A HISTORIAN WHO KILLED GEN. LUNA? (INTERPRETATION 2) Contrary to popular belief- Prof. Ambeth Ocampo made a historical interpretation that Emilio Aguinaldo was not the one who ordered Antonio Luna's assassination, but rather his mother, Trinidad Famy-Aguinaldo. Ocampo made the claim from an account based on a lesser- known footnote by former Filipino legislator Teodoro M. Kalaw, which notes that "the person involved in Luna's death is a woman who cannot be named." HISTORY DEALS WITH TELLING A STORY HISTORICAL IMAGINATION ▪ If the historian's picture of the past is in fact imaginary, what then is the difference between a novel and a historical account? ▪ Does history as a discipline belong to the Social Sciences or to the Humanities? IMAGINATION IN HISTORY-TEODORO AGONCILLO. ▪ To any historian worthy of the name, imagination is as important and necessary in the writing of history as it is in the writing of fiction, drama, or poetry. Yet in the Philippines at least, there is a widespread view, held by those who, in the memorable words of George Bernard Shaw, cannot write and, therefore, teach, that imagination in history is something to be deplored since history deals primarily and supremely with facts.  ▪ Cambridge Professor EH. Carr, "History cannot be HISTORICAL written unless the historian can achieve some kind of contact with the mind of those about whom he is IMAGINATION writing." HISTORICAL IMAGINATION ▪ Historical Imagination- History as actuality is partially recaptured by the historian through a careful and judicious use of data. Since history as a species of writing is a re- creation of the past, as much as the available and verified facts allow, it is certain that written history can approximate the past only if the historian is endowed with a lively imagination which recaptures, even in capsule form, the color, the atmosphere, the action of past actuality. HISTORICAL IMAGINATION ▪ Imaginative Understanding- This is the kind of immersion that the historian undergoes before sitting down to write. In the explanation of men and events it is not enough to rely on documents, for documents, while important, leave out many things that men did, said and thought. They are the bones of history, but the flesh and blood must be supplied by the historian through the judicious use of his imagination. HISTORICAL IMAGINATION ▪ Historical methodology- advance of the scientific spirit, particularly after Darwin, led to the adoption of the positivistic doctrine of the scientific method in history. Historical methodology was taught and studied with an enthusiasm that was worthy of a scientist working laboriously in his laboratory to discover some law of Nature. The university classroom became the center of the "new" history whose orientation was based on absolute accuracy and narrow specialization. ▪ The danger of overemphasizing the value of accurate but nevertheless dull and uninspired history books - or nonbooks- lies in this: that it tends to stifle the creative spirit of the student whose minds are drowned by facts and facts and yet more facts without being allowed to weave them into an artistic whole. CONCLUSION ▪ For history, in the sense that. it is an accurate record and interpretation of the past, is more of humanities than of science. The only scientific part of history is that which deals with spade work and the sifting of facts; the rest belongs to the humanities. It is for this reason that I consider the discipline of history not a part of the social but of the humanities. KINDS OF SOURCES PRIMARY SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES A primary source is the evidence of The secondary source is the an eye witness or mechanical device evidence of someone who was not which was present at the time of the present at the time of occurrence of occurrence of an event. the event e.g., books written by historians. The secondary source is also of great historical importance to the historians. Although secondary source is itself dependent on primary sources. EXAMPLES PRIMARY SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES A primary source is something that originates A secondary source is a work that comments on the from the past. It can be a chronicle, a piece of past. Typically this is a recently written book that describes past events, often written by a historian or pottery, or even a piece of glacial ice that trained scholar familiar about the time period and gives us climate data about the levels of civilization in question. For example, a Roman coin atmospheric carbon one thousand years ago. that was made by the Romans is a primary source, but Artifacts a drawing of a Roman coin made in 2003 would be a Speeches secondary source. Photographs A book written about the Tudors in 1525 would be a Letters primary source, but a book written about the Tudors Diaries in 1995 would be a secondary source. Creative work Newspaper Textbooks Government documents Magazines Proverbs and folklores Encylopedia EXAMPLES PRIMARY SOURCES A primary source is something that originates from the past. It can be a chronicle, a piece of pottery, or even a piece of glacial ice that gives us climate data about the levels of atmospheric carbon one thousand years ago. Artifacts Speeches Photographs Letters Diaries Creative work Newspaper Government documents Proverbs and folklores EXAMPLES SECONDARY SOURCES A secondary source is a work that comments on the past. Typically this is a recently written book that describes past events, often written by a historian or trained scholar familiar about the time period and civilization in question. For example, a Roman coin that was made by the Romans is a primary source, but a drawing of a Roman coin made in 2003 would be a secondary source. A book written about the Tudors in 1525 would be a primary source, but a book written about the Tudors in 1995 would be a secondary source. Textbooks Magazines Encylopedia APPROACHES IN USING SOURCES Problem Oriented Source Oriented Approach Approach ▪ the historian takes one ▪ A specific historical question source or group of sources is formulated, usually that falls within his or her prompted by a reading of the general area of interest – secondary authorities, and say the records of a the relevant primary sources particular court or a body are then studied; the bearing of diplomatic that these sources may have correspondence – and extracts whatever is of on other issues is ignored, value, allowing the content the researcher proceeding as of the source to determine directly as possible to the the nature of the enquiry. point where he or she can present some conclusions. PURSUIT OF HISTORY BY JOHN TOSH CHAPTER 04: USING THE SOURCES ▪ How do we evaluate the authenticity of Criticism: a document? As the historian draws his conclusions and generalizations on the basis Internal of these documents and facts it is essential to check up the Criticism authenticity of the documents and facts. It is the duty of the historian to doubt every statement until it has been critically tested. This criticism can be of two types, External i.e. External and Internal. Criticism EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CRITICISM EXTERNAL CRITICISM INTERNAL CRITICISM Aims at figuring out if the source Concerned with the accuracy and material is genuine and has content of the document. Also integrity called textual criticism. Is it genuine? What does it mean? -Who was the author? -What was the author trying to say? -What were his general -What thought was the author qualifications as a reporter? trying to convey? -What were his special -What inferences or interpretation qualifications as a reporter of the could be extracted from the words? matters treated here? Check for: Literal meaning and real -How soon after the vents was the meaning of statements, document written? competence of the observer, test of -How is the document related to the truthfulness and Honesty other documents? EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CRITICISM EXTERNAL CRITICISM INTERNAL CRITICISM Aims at figuring out if the source material is genuine Concerned with the accuracy and content of the and has integrity (Provenance, Content, Form) document. Also called textual criticism. Is it genuine? What does it mean? -Who was the author? -What was the author trying to say? -How soon after the vents was the document written? -What thought was the author trying to convey? -How is the document related to the other documents? -What inferences or interpretation could be extracted from the words? Check for: Literal meaning and real meaning of statements, competence of the observer, test of truthfulness and Honesty THE HISTORIAN'S TASK IN THE PHILIPPINES ▪ Can history be objective? ▪ written from a point of view ▪ must lessen the sunbjectivity by being a passive observer THE HISTORIAN'S TASK IN THE PHILIPPINES ▪ Like in the case of Nationalist History ▪ Pedro Paterno- La Antigua Civilizacion Tagalog (Los Itas, the cultured Tagalog, the Civilized Tagalog) ▪ Jose Marco- Code of Kalantiaw, exposed by Henry Scott in 1968 ▪ And the pseudonovel La Loba Negra allegedly written by Fr. Burgos THE HISTORIAN'S TASK IN THE PHILIPPINES ▪ CONCLUSION Such attempts to make history, “nationalist” like those of Paterno and Marco and their perpetrators are clearly futile. Reconstructing a Filipino past however glorious in appearance, on false pretenses can do nothing to build a sense of national identity much less guidace for the present and the future. BAGONG KASAYSAYAN SA WIKANG FILIPINO: KALIKASAN, KAPARAANAN AT PAGSASAKASAYSAYAN ▪ Kasaysayan as a discipline: Is it meaningful and relevant? If it is for whom is it meaningful and relevant? KASAYSAYAN ▪ KASAYSAYAN- Salaysay hinggil sa nakaraan na may saysay para sa isang grupo ng tao ▪ may saysay na nakaraan ▪ sapagkat ito ay para sa sangkapilipinuhan ▪ Kung gayon maaring paksa ang barangay, bayan, lalawigan, bansa at sambayanan KASAYSAYAN ▪ TALASTASAN- Kaakibat ng paghahanap ng saysay ▪ ito ay may tunguhin na unawain ang kaisipan o paksang pinag- uusapan ▪ tastas o talastas ▪ Hindi katumbas ng mga salitang deconstruct , deconstruere, deconstructus KASAYSAYAN NG KASAYSAYAN ▪ 1. Sinaunang Kasaysayan ▪ 2. Tradisyong Historya ▪ 3. Bagong Kasaysayan KAPARAANAN NG KASAYSAYAN Pagtatanong: Pagsusuri ng Pangangalap Pagpili ng Batis ng Batis Paksa PAGSASAKASAYSAYAN ▪ 1. Pag-uugnay ng iba't-ibang disiplina ▪ Interdisiplinaryo, krosdisiplinaryo,multi-disiplinaryo ▪ 2. Pagsasasalaysay- pagsasalaysay ng makabuluhan, makahulugan at makakatuturan PAHIMAKAS ▪ Ito ba ay may saysay? at kung may saysay ay para kanino? WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THIS MODULE? ▪ What are the two kinds of sources? ▪ How do we evaluate the authenticity of documents? ▪ Can history be objective? ▪ Is there a difference between History and Kasaysayan? ▪ What are the ways (kaparaanan) of Kasaysayan?