The document discusses the nature and methodology of history as a discipline. It states that history has no subject matter of its own, synthesizes knowledge from many fields, and illuminates pieces of the past rather than the past itself. The key elements of history are people, place, time period, and sources. The historical methodology involves choosing a topic, identifying relevant information, examining sources for validity and bias, and organizing the information into a narrative. The uses and importance of history include improving judgment, providing instructive examples, making people better thinkers, and supporting cultural understanding. Issues in history as a discipline include correcting errors, reinterpreting facts and events, and rewriting history from different perspectives.

1. HISTORY AS A
DISCIPLINE

2. WHAT IS HISTORY?
♦ History comes from the Greek word
“historie” or “historia” which means
learning, inquiry and/ or investigation.
♦ In general, it is the past of mankind.
(Gottchalk)
♦ It is the story of human experience.

3. NATURE OF HISTORY
♦ IT HAS NO SUBJECT MATTER OF ITS OWN.
♦ IT SYNTHESIZES KNOWLEDGE FROM
MANY FIELDS.
♦ IT ILLUMINATES PIECES OF THE PAST,
NOT THE PAST ITSELF.
♦ IT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
♦ IT IS SUBJECTIVE.
♦ IT SEARCHES FOR THE TRUTH.
(ABSOLUTE TRUTH IS A RARE
COMMODITY)

4. ELEMENTS OF HISTORY
♦ MAN
♦ PLACE
♦ PERIOD (TIME ELEMENT)
♦ SOURCES
- PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
SOURCES

5. HISTORICAL
METHODOLOGY
♦ CHOOSE A TOPIC FOR
INVESTIGATION OR INQUIRY
(STUDIES).
♦ IDENTIFY ALL RELEVANT
INFORMATION ABOUT THE
HISTORICAL EVENT.
♦ EXAMINE SOURCES FOR VALIDITY
AND BIAS.
♦ SELECT AND ORGANIZE
INFORMATION INTO A WELL-
CRAFTED NARRATIVE.

6. USES AND IMPORTANCE
OF HISTORY
♦ HISTORY SHOWS
US WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE
HUMAN.
♦ HISTORY
IMPROVES
JUDGEMENT.
♦ HISTORY
PROVIDES
INSTRUCTIVE
EXAMPLES.
♦ HISTORY MAKES
US BETTER
THINKERS.
♦ HISTORY
SUPPORTS
COMMON
CULTURAL
UNDERSTANDING
AND DIALOGUE.

7. USES AND IMP’T. CONT’D…
♦ HISTORY SATISFIES A NEED FOR
IDENTITY.
♦ HISTORY GIVES PLEASURE.
♦ STUDYING THE PAST IS
PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE.

8. ISSUES/PROBLEMS OF
HISTORY AS A DISCIPLINE
♦ CORRECTING THE
ERRORS OF
PUBLISHED
HISTORICAL
WORKS.
♦ RE-
INTERPRETATION
OF HISTORICAL
FACTS OR EVENTS.
♦ FILLING THE GAPS
IN PHILIPPINE
HISTORY.
♦ REWRITING
PHILIPPINE
HISTORY IN THE
FILIPINO POINT OF
VIEW.

9. IMPORTANT QOUTES TO
REMEMBER
♦ “TO FORETELL THE DESTINY OF A
NATION, IT IS NECESSARY TO OPEN
THE BOOK THAT TELLS OF HER
PAST” – DR. JOSE RIZAL
♦ “WHO CONTROLS THE PAST
CONTROLS THE FUTURE; WHO
CONTROLS THE PRESENT
CONTROLS THE PAST” – GEORGE
ORWELL

10. QOUTES CONT’D…
♦ “THE DISADVANTAGE OF MEN NOT
KNOWING THE PAST IS THAT THEY DO
NOT KNOW THE PRESENT” – G. K.
CHESTERTON
♦ “THOSE WHO CANNOT LEARN FROM
HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT” –
GEORGE SANTAYANA
♦ “THE SUPREME PURPOSE OF HISTORY IS A
BETTER WORLD” – HERBERT HOOVER