Philippine Historiography

Outcomes

This module covers the necessary mediations of history and a survey of Philippine History. Thus, this subject matter will also cover how to read and evaluate history: the principles, motives, and agendas behind historical account writing.

At the end of the lesson, you can: 

• Define history;

• Differentiate history from historiography;

• Restate the sources of history;

• Analyze how historians write a history;

• And recall some Filipino historians and their contributions to historiography.

Brief Discussion

History deals with the study of past events. Individuals who write about history are called historians. They seek to understand the present by examining what went before. They undertake arduous historical research to come up with a meaningful and organized reconstruction of the past. But about whose history are we talking? This is a fundamental question that a historian needs to answer because this sets the purpose and framework of a historical account. Hence, a salient feature of historical writing is the ability to give meaning and impart value to a particular group of people about their past. The practice of historical writing is called historiography. The traditional research method focuses on gathering documents from different libraries and archives to form a pool of evidence needed to make a descriptive or analytical narrative. However, modern historical writing includes examining papers and using research methods from related areas of study such as archaeology and geography.

The following topics under this subject matter will be broadly discussed on the attached files and PowerPoint located on the tool chest. 

• Sources of History

• Primary and Secondary Sources

• Historical Criticism

• Locating Primary Sources

• Colonial Historiography

• Philippine Historiography after World War II

  • Political Narratives

  • Colonial Histories in Historical Narratives

  • Elite-centric Perspective in Historical Narratives

  • Patriarchal Orientation in Historical Narratives

  • Emphasis on Lowland Christianized Filipinos

Please see the attached files, PowerPoint, and video clip:

Tool-chest 1. a: Reading file - Philippine Historiography: Definition, Issues, Sources, and Methodology 

Tool-chest 1. b: PowerPoint Presentation – An Introduction to Philippine Historiography

Tool-chest 1. c:  Video Clip -  An Introduction to Philippine Historiography 

Activity

Read the discussion texts on the attached file, study the PowerPoint presentation, watch the attached video clip from the Tool Chest, and then accomplish this activity by answering the questions below using your own words. This written task is worth 40 points (10 points for each item).

Reminder: You will get a zero on this activity and an Incomplete Grade on your Final Rating if you are caught copying your answer from your classmates or the internet) 

1. What is history? How is it different from historiography?

2. What are the sources of history? Enumerate and differentiate them.

3. Who are some of the notable Filipino historians? What are their contributions to Philippine historiography?

4. Should no-one write our country's history, what do you think will happen to our present political, cultural, and economic condition?