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