This document outlines a unit on history as an academic discipline. It begins by listing the unit objectives, which include understanding the meaning and methodology of history, applying historical methods to analyze narratives, critically examining evidence, and understanding history's importance to the Philippines. The first lesson defines history, traces its development, and evaluates its importance. Key concepts are introduced, such as positivism and historicism. The document examines how the study of history has changed over time and provides examples of how history can be valuable.

1. Good Morning
MARICEL M. ABRASALDO, LPT.
Academic Instructor

2. UNIT I
Objectives:
At the end of the unit, you should be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of history as an academic discipline;
2. Identify the underlying philosophy and methodology of the
field;
3. Apply the knowledge in historical methods and philosophy in
assessing and analyzing existing historical narratives;
4. Examine and evaluate the value of historical evidence and
sources critically; and
5. Appraise the importance of history in the social and national
life of the PHILIPPINES.

3. LESSON 1 MEANING OF HISTORY
Lesson Objectives:
Define history and trace its development as a
field of study;
Examine the issues surrounding the historical
discipline; and
Evaluate the importance and function of
history.

4. Key Concepts
Positivism – The Philosophy that a particular
knowledge can only be true if it can be observed in a
sensorial manner.
Historiography – The study of history as a historical
discipline.
Historicism – The belief that history should be
studied only for its own sake.

5. WHAT IS HISTORY?

6. HISTORY
Was derived from the Greek word “historia”, which means
knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation.
Existed for around 2,400 years and is as old as mathematics and
philosophy.
This term was then adopted to classical Latin, where it acquired a
new definition. Historia became known as the account of the past
of a person or a group of people through written documents and
historical evidence.
HISTORY can refer two things:
1. First, history relates to everything that had happened in the past;
2. Second refers to a kind or inquiry.

7. History is a discipline or a field of study and investigation that
is primarily concerned with human activities done in the past.
This meaning can be broken down into three dimensions:
1. Focus on human activities. This focus makes it different from
theology, myths or legends.
2. Field of inquiry, generally falls in the sciences, particularly to
the social sciences, because history seeks to answer
questions. The quest for these answers should be done
through a systematic and methodical collection of data and
evidence. Interpreted by the historian to arrive at rational
findings and conclusions.
3. Concerned in the past. Historians seek to explain past events
and processes against a particular historical background or
context.

8. Examples:
Why was Jose Rizal executed?
Why did Japan invade the Philippine during World War
II?
Why was Ferdinand Marcos overthrown in 1986?
In short history is storytelling, but more importantly, it
seeks to explain and answer questions about the past.

9. During Ancient Greek Historians HERODOTUS. He is
recognized as the FATHER OF HISTORY because he was the
one who established History as a science. His purpose in
writing his work Histories was to describe the deeds of men in
the past for posterity or future use. First approached recording
the past with a “humanistic”.
His successor was THUCYDIDES, another Greek historian
whose magnum opus was the History of “Peloponnesian War.”
He was known as the FATHER OF SCIENTIFIC HISTORY. First
highlighted the importance of the “systematic and impartial
collection of evidence as an essential prerequisite in writing
history”. The reliable sources of history were testimonies of
eyewitnesses. In his HISTORY OF PELOPONNESIAN WAR, his
method was what modern historians would call oral history.

10. Sectors whose past will figure history are those who
were in the higher level of the social ladder that
include:
Monarchs
Military
Heroes
Clergymen
Scholars
Nobilities
Saints

11. Historical Importance
Revolutions
Wars
Conquest
Crusades

12. With accumulation of historical records and the gradual
expansion of the Western civilization caused by the rise of
powerful empires like ROMAN EMPIRE, World History would
emerge. It would serve as the record of many different
civilizations, nations and societies. Such would be written to
serve various purposes and would be defined in different
ways.
By the 19th Century a particular school of thought would
emerge and dominate various scientific disciplines for many
generations:
POSITIVISM- it asserts that real knowledge lies in the actual
observation of facts. In history, positivism created the mantra of
“no document, no history”.

13. Historiography- is essential for anyone who studies
history because it teaches students to be critical with
history lessons presented to them.
Herodotus and other historians- the ancient world
wrote history so people can have something to look
back on as reference should be faced with similar
challenges in the present and the future.
Herodotus and Thucydides- envisioned that the future
generation, equipped with the lessons of past human
actions, would be more able and empowered to
control their destiny.

14. In the Medieval Period- when Christianity and the Church
became the most powerful institution, history ceased to be
record of man’s deeds. It started to be a record of how man
became instrumental in the fulfillment of the divine plan.
Historicism- is the intellectual movement, their view, assigning
a pragmatic reason for the study of the past. Like political
training and historical analysis of social problems.
Leopold Von Ranke- the leading positivist historian of the 19th
century. He argued that the task of the historian is neither to
guard certain values nor to judge certain pasts. He popularly
declared that the aim of history is “merely to show how things
actually were” .

15. Ancient Greek- notion that history can provide
humanity with lessons from the past to have better
control of their destiny is also true. History can help
us control not just our future, but also our present
situation.
R. G. Coolingwood- a British historian says the
“Knowing yourself means knowing what you can do;
and since nobody knows what he can do until he
tries, the only clue to what man can do is what man
has done. The value of history, then is that it teaches
us what man has done and thus what man is.”

16. Why is Philippine History
important today?

17. Because history serves as a guide of
every Filipino for present and future
plans. Strengthens our sense of
nationalism. Therefore, as part of this
country, we must know our root, and be
proud of our nationality.

18. What is the essence of
studying Reading in Philippine
History?

19. Through history, we can learn how past
societies, systems, ideologies, governments,
cultures, and technologies were built, how
they operated, and how they have changed
trough times. The rich history of the world
helps us to paint a detailed picture of where
we stand today.

20. Four Major Events of Philippine History
Spanish Rule (1521-1898)
America Rule (1898-1946)
Japanese Occupation (1941-1946)
Philippine Self Rule (1946-present)

21. ACTIVITY: Historical Birthday
In five groups
Students who have birthdates closest to one another
will belong to the same group.
Search of events that happened on the date of your
birth.
Then the group will then create a timeline of your
birthdays with the corresponding historical events, and
present the timeline in class.

22. Lesson Summary
History is the study of human activities in the past. This
definition makes history a unique discipline.
The meaning and characteristics of history changed from
the ancient period to the present. These changes were
dependent on the purposes that history served.
History is a scientific discipline that relies on different
sources.
Several issues revolve around the meaning and function
of history as a discipline. These issues relate to different
aspects of the discipline, such as meaning, method and
use.