Topic 1 - Introduction to Histroy.pdf

GEC105 INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY: DEFINITION, ISSUES, SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY Instructor: Asst. Lect. Christial D. Benolirao, BA  DEFINITION OF HISTORY Commonly associated with study of the past. Always seen as a boring and tedious subject because of it requiring students to memorize dates, names, p...

GEC105 INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY: DEFINITION, ISSUES, SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY Instructor: Asst. Lect. Christial D. Benolirao, BA  DEFINITION OF HISTORY Commonly associated with study of the past. Always seen as a boring and tedious subject because of it requiring students to memorize dates, names, places, etc. Because of it there is little appreciation to History and thus it does not give justice to its relevance.  DEFINITION OF HISTORY HISTORY - derived from the greek word “historia” meaning “acquired through inquiry or investigation”. As a discipline History is as old as Mathematics and Philosophy. It existed for around 2,400 years  DEFINITION OF HISTORY Latin definition of Historia is the account of the past of a person or group of people through written documents and historical evidences Common denominator in each definition both Greek and Latin is the emphasis on Sources, Documents, and Evidence  ISSUES IN HISTORY For who do we write history? This question can be answered by Historiography What is Historiography? The understanding of How that history is written, The context of that time, what sources, was used, and what historical methods was used.  SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN HISTORY POSITIVISIM - an 18th to 19th century school of thought that requires empirical and observable evidence before claiming one knowledge is true. This school of thought follows the idea of “no document, no history”  SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN HISTORY POSTCOLONIALISM - a school of thought that emerged after the end of colonialism. It grappled on the idea of creating their identity. A postcolonial history looks into 1. telling the history of their nation that highlights their identity free from colonizers  SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN HISTORY 2. criticizes the effect of colonialism the idea of colonialism and its methods.  HISTORY AND THE HISTORIAN Can a historian be baised? the job a Historian - is to find historical evidences and facts but also to interpret these facts. “facts cannot speak for themselves” it is now the role of the historian to give meaning to the facts and evidences they gathered.  HISTORY AND THE HISTORIAN A Historian is not biased but rather a historian is only interpreting the information presented. In order the idea of the facts being interpreted the historian employs Historical Methodology. This are rules to maintain factual historiography and remain scientific and unbiased.  CATEGORIES OF HISTORICAL SOURCES PRIMARY SOURCE Sources produced at the same time as the event, period or subject being studied. Examples of Primary Source: Philippine Constitution, Letters, Eyewitness Reports, Artifacts, Government Records, Census, Photographs, etc.  CATEGORIES OF HISTORICAL SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES Sources which are produced by an author who used primary sources to produce a material. Examples of Primary Source: Textbooks, Journal Articles, Online Sources, etc.  SCRUTINY OF HISTORICAL SOURCES Both primary and secondary sources must be scrutinized to really come up with the truth and create context. In order to criticize sources the historian must do both EXTERNAL and INTERNAL Criticism  SCRUTINY OF HISTORICAL SOURCES EXTERNAL CRITICISM -Examination of the physical characteristic of a source, In line with the consistency of the time it was produced. Things to be examined such as the paper used, the ink, etc.  SCRUTINY OF HISTORICAL SOURCES INTERNAL CRITICISM - Examination of the truthfulness of the source. Looking into who is the Author, the context of the time it was produced, the agenda the author might have behind its creation.  SCRUTINY OF HISTORICAL SOURCES THE CASE OF THE CODE OF KALANTIAW