The document discusses the meaning and importance of history. It defines history as the study of past human beliefs, practices, and institutions through written documents and evidence. Studying history helps understand how situations arose and can provide insights to address today's issues. However, history was traditionally focused only on written records, ignoring other civilizations. But the field has broadened to consider other valid sources like oral traditions. Studying history has many benefits - it helps develop identity and perspective, explain current problems, avoid past mistakes, and teach critical thinking skills through a holistic view of the human experience.

1. Learning History
Readings in Philippine history

2. Lesson 1: meaning and relevance of history
To make sense of history, it is necessary to first understand what it is all
about. Many people think that history is merely lists of names, dates,
places, and “important” events. However, History or the study of history is
more than just knowing and memorizing facts. It is a historian’s duty to
draw insights from the ideas and realities that have shaped the lives of
men and women and the society. And in understanding these ideas, a
historian (or, in fact, a student of history) can comprehend how situations
happened, identify their elements, and think of how these situations can
solve today’s predicaments, and help them plan for the future. The study
of history, therefore, is the study of the beliefs and desires, practices, and
institutions of human beings

3. WHY STUDY HISTORY?
An examination of the past can tell us a great deal
about how we came to be who we are. It means
looking at the roots of modern institutions, ideas,
values, and problems. Looking at the past teaches us
to see the world through different eyes-appreciating
the diversity of human perceptions, beliefs, and
cultures. Different and/or new perspectives will
enable us to analyze critically the present contexts of
our society and beings

4. What is History?
GE112 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

5. History was derived from the Greek word historia which means “knowledge
acquired through inquiry or investigation”. History as a disciplined existed for
around 2, 400 years and is as old as mathematics and philosophy. This term was
then adapted 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 evidences. That meaning stuck
until the early parts of the twentieth century. History became an important
discipline. It became the historian’s duty to write about the lives of important
individuals like monarchs, heroes, saints, and nobilities. History was also focused
on writing wars, revolutions, and other important breakthroughs. It is thus
important to ask: What counts as history? Traditional historians lived with the
mantra “no document, no history”.

6. It means that unless a written document can prove a
certain historical event, it cannot be considered a
historical fact. But as with any other academic discipline,
history progressed and opened up to the possibility of
valid historical sources, which were not limited to
written documents, like government records,
chroniclers’ accounts, or personal letters. Giving a
premium to written documents essentially invalidates
the history of other civilizations that do not keep written
records. Some were keener on passing their history by
word of mouth.

7. Others had their historical documents burned or destroyed in
the events of war or colonization. Restricting historical
evidence as exclusively written is also discrimination against
other social classes who were not recorded on paper.
Nobilities, monarchs, the elite, and even the middle class
would have their birth, education, marriage, and death as
matters of government and historical record. But what of
peasant families or indigenous groups who were not given
much thought about being registered to government records?
Does the absence of written documents about them mean
they were people of no history or past? Did they even exist?

8. Understanding History
Why don’t We learn from history? (An excerpt from Lidell Hart, 1971)
What is the objective of history?, One would simply answer, quite simply -
“truth”. It is a word and an idea that has gone out of fashion.
The object might be more cautiously expressed thus: to find out what happened
while trying to find out why it happened. It seeks the casual relations
between events.
History has limitations as a guiding signpost; although it can show us the right
direction, it does not give detailed information about the road conditions. But
its negative value as a warning sign is more definite. History can show us what to
avoid, even if it does not teach us what to do - by showing the most common
mistakes that mankind is apt to make and to repeat. A second object lies in the
practical value of history. The knowledge gained from the study of true history is
the best of all education for practical life.
The study of history embraces every aspect of life. It lays the foundation of
education by showing how mankind repeats its errors and what those errors are.

9. Importance and Uses of History Given are the uses of history as summarized by Foray and Salevouris (1988).
Some of these are interestingly explained by B.H. Liddell Hart (1971).
A. History provides a source of personal and social identity.
B. History helps us understand the problems of the present.
C. History – good history – corrects misleading analogies and “lessons” of the past.
D. History can help one develop tolerance and open-mindedness.
E. History helps us better understand all human behaviors and all aspects of the human condition.
F. History provides the basic background for many disciplines.
G. History can be a source of entertainment.
H. History, when studied, can teach many critical skills.