What Is History? PDF

WHAT IS HISTORY? HISTORY from the Greek word “historia” inquiry designed to elicit the truth investigation information learning TRADITIONAL DEFINITION records of the past record of human past past of mankind (Gottschalk, p.43) based only on written accounts...

WHAT IS HISTORY? HISTORY from the Greek word “historia” inquiry designed to elicit the truth investigation information learning TRADITIONAL DEFINITION records of the past record of human past past of mankind (Gottschalk, p.43) based only on written accounts interviews /oral history /oral traditions and cultural artifacts are not considered records MODERN DEFINITION reconstruction of the past based on available written records, oral history, cultural artifacts, and folk traditions study of EVENTS and DEVELOPMENTS involves the collection, analysis, and synthesis of sources historians should do the important tasks of: interpreting and recreating facts in an orderly and intelligible manner discovering patterns and trends (Theories in History) KASAYSAYAN saysay katuturan, kabuluhan, kahulugan salaysay kuwento samakatuwid, ang kasaysayan ay salaysay hinggil sa nakaraan na may saysay para sa sariling lipunan at kultura HISTORY interpretative and imaginative study of surviving records of the past, either written or unwritten, in order to determine the meaning and scope of human existence the soul of a nation that provides information of past events. DIVISIONS OF HISTORY unrecorded history (pre-historic) – refers to those early times of which there are no written records – no system of writing existed – Paleolithic, Neolithic, Metal Age recorded history (historic) – refers to that period of which there are written records of some kind – Ancient, Middle Ages, Modern, Contemporary (western)  WHY STUDY HISTORY? bridges the gap between the present and the past explains causes of things and events interprets conditions of a given space and time gives the student a greater tolerance for the opinion of others serves as a tool in understanding self and development of national identity promotes nationalism and patriotism SOURCES OF HISTORY primary sources written at the time the event occurred, by someone who was part of the event or witness of the event graphic / visual materials and artifacts fossils oral tradition (oral literature, interviews) secondary sources based on primary sources, analysis of primary sources usually found in textbooks, encyclopedias, journal articles SOURCES OF HISTORY written primary sources chronicle, diary, memoirs, report, letter, diplomatic dispatch, surveyor’s notes social documents: birth, death, marriage certificates church, police, school, government, business, hospital records title deeds, census reports, directories, souvenir programs statistical tables, graphs, charts dictionaries, inscriptions, literary works unwritten primary sources archeological evidence: tools, weapons, utensils, coins old structures and landmarks, old maps buried artifacts, skeletal remains, funeral paraphernalia creative expressions, arts and crafts old sketches/ drawings/ graffiti photographs, heirlooms, keepsakes oral evidence, recordings tales, folk songs, protest songs, popular rituals METHOD OF DETERMINING AGE RANGE PROCESS AGE OF ARTIFACTS 1. CULTURAL DATING Up to 5,000 years ago Use written records of known age to date (Use of Written Records) artifacts along with them a. Absolute Dating Archeologists decide based on years of an object b. Relative Dating Comparison with other objects 2. SCIENTIFIC DATING a. Dendrochronology Up to about 8, 000 years ago Match the pattern in wooden object to a master tree ring pattern; count the rings b. Radiocarbon Dating From about 1,000 to 60, 000 Measure the amount of radiocarbon remaining years ago in the object (remains of plants and animals) c. Potassium Argon Dating More than 500, 000 years ago Compare the amounts of potassium and argon present in volcanic rock (bones and tools inside rocks) ORAL HISTORY pass knowledge, culture, tradition and history through word of mouth usually in the form of stories, songs, folktales, epics, myths and legends. although they are not written, can be considered as history because they provide a clear description of society’s past LEVELS OF HISTORY scope biography genealogy local history national history focus political history cultural history special history metahistory 2 COMPONENTS IN HISTORY sources historian HISTORICAL METHODOLOGY Choosing a topic Gathering of sources Examination of sources or Historical Criticism (External and Internal Criticism) Extraction of data from authentic and credible sources Writing of history must be well-organized, coherent and elegantly written HISTORICAL CRITICISM External Internal ❑ question of authenticity ❑ problem of credibility, reliability ❑ checks materials for forgery/anachronism ❑ higher level criticism ❑ examines the physical appearance of the ❑ source criticism document ❑ genesis of source (provenance) –by whom (eg: color of paper used, condition and ❑ interpretation – deciphering intended characteristics of the paper, ink used, meaning of author handwriting style, etc. ) ❑ authorial authority – with what authority does ❑ examines the words used in the document the author speak? ❑ auxiliary tools ❑ competence of eyewitness – psychological ▪ paleography (handwriting) state of author, selectivity of report, ▪ diplomatics (charters, conventions) prejudices, outside influences especially of ▪ archaeology (archaeomagnetic higher authorities analysis, dendrochronology) ▪ could observer have understood what ▪ statistics (marriage, birth records, s/he saw economic growth) ▪ was observer technically or socially ▪ sigillography (seals) qualified to understand what s/he saw ▪ chronology (ways of keeping, ▪ could observer actually believe what marking time) he saw ▪ codicology (handwritten books- ▪ difference between what observer material, binding, cataloging, might consciously know and be able preservation) to report and the way her/his ▪ papyrology (writing on papyrus) consciousness is affected by the ▪ epigraphy (texts written on stone / culture s/he inhabits metal) ❑ trustworthiness of observer – tendency of ▪ heraldry (coats of arms) people to lie necessitates the study of the ▪ numismatics (coins) author’s life ▪ linguistics (grammar vocabularies) ▪ check for inconsistencies, lapses, ▪ genealogy (family relationships) suppressions in the story ▪ proposography (biographical ▪ political motives, pressures (fear for materials to construct group portraits life, or well-being, job security, influence, connections), vanity DIFFICULTIES IN THE WRITING AND STUDY OF HISTORY scarcity of written materials especially in the local level problems of paleography and translation with regard to documents written in Spanish and other foreign languages biases and prejudices on the part of the foreign writers lack of representative materials for the whole country lack of trained historians IS HISTORY AN ART OR A SCIENCE? as a social science discipline a systematic study of written and unwritten accounts about the past events  the methodology of the historian is scientific in so far as it does not permit the imagination to impede with the collection and investigation (i.e. taking into account the authenticity and credibility) of historical data as branch of the humanities historian may use his disciplined imagination to re-capture the past as closely as the data allow him in order to give it life, meaning and relevance Teodoro Agoncillo: any historical piece becomes a dull compilation of data devoid of life, which for him is not history (since history deals with life as it was lived).