SOURCES OF HISTORY
SOURCES OF HISTORY
In writing history, the historian not only relies on past thoughts,
rather, reenacts it in the context of analyzing the documents and other
records left. Printed sources for the study of early Philippine history can
be traced from the missionary chronicles published by the various
religious orders assigned to the Philippines, which include the
Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, and Recollects.
KINDS OF HISTORICAL SOURCES
Primary Sources
Are those sources produced at the same time as the event, period,
or subject being studied. Aside from eyewitness testimonies, primary
sources also include materials such as photographs, voice and video
recordings. Archival documents, artifacts, memorabilia, letters, census
and government records, among others are also the most common
examples of primary sources. These materials are considered as original
sources that directly narrate the details of the event.
Examples of Primary Sources
1. Autobiography
2. Memoirs
3. Eyewitnesses accounts
4. Diary
5. Fossils
6. Relics
7. Letters
8. Photographs
9. Speeches
10.Videos
11.Legal Documents
12.Ornaments
13.Clothing
14.Tools
Secondary Sources
Are those sources that serves as interpretations or readings of
primary sources. Usually, the author of a piece incorporates his or her
personal insights and interpretations, thus detaching the original value of
the component of the subject being discussed. These sources usually
contain analyses of primary sources by experts, academicians, and
professionals.
Examples of Secondary Sources
1. Biography
2. Encyclopedia
3. Textbooks
4. Thesis
5. Dissertations
6. Interviews
7. News reports
8. Movies
9. News articles
10.Scholarly journals
11.Transcriptions
12.Almanacs
13.Dictionaries
REMEMBER:
Both primary and secondary sources are useful in writing
and learning history. However, historians and students of
history need to thoroughly scrutinize these historical sources to
avoid deception and to come up with the historical truth.
ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY SOURCES
Students need to approach any source – contemporary or
historical; primary or secondary; print, non-print or electronic as well as
human – with a set of criteria to analyze the information presented.
According to Harris (2017), it is called the CARS Checklist stands for
Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, and Support.
1. CREDIBILITY. Capability of being believed or trusted. What about this
source makes it believable? How does the source know the information?
Why should I believe this source over another? Elements to look for here
are the author’s credentials like education, training, and/or experience.
Is there sufficient evidence presented to make the argument persuasive?
Are there compelling arguments and reasons given?
Are there enough details for a reasonable conclusion about the
information?
2. ACCURACY. Is this source factual, detailed, exact, comprehensive?
Is it up-to-date or is currency relevant? Are important facts and other
information deliberately left out? Did the creator invent information?
Who is the audience for the source and what is the purpose – to inform or
to persuade?
No date on the document
Assertions hat are vague or otherwise lacking detail
Sweeping rather than qualified language like that is, the use of always,
never, every
3. REASONABLENESS. Fairness, objectivity, moderateness, and
consistency: is the information balanced even the opponent’s claims
should be presented accurately, reasoned, fair? Is there a conflict of
interest? Is the information likely, plausible, or possible? This is difficult
for any researcher with a limited content background, but every effort
should be made to use previous and accumulated knowledge in a way
that helps evaluate new information. Does the information make sense?
Are there inconsistencies or contradictions?
• Intemperate tone or language (“stupid, jerks, etc.)
• Over claims (“Thousands of children are murdered in this
country”)
• Sweeping statements of excessive significance (“This is the
most important idea ever conceived)
4. SUPPORT. Where did the information come from? Are sources listed? Is
there a bibliography or other documentation? How does the author know
what she/he knows? Do other sources agree? Don’t take anything at face
value. Cross-check each piece of information and compare with others.
REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY
SOURCES
1. National Archives – The National
Archives of the Philippines is the home of
about 60 million documents from the
centuries of Spanish rule in the
Philippines, the American and Japanese
occupations, as well as the years of the
Republic. It is also the final repository
for the voluminous notarized documents
of the country.
2. National Museum – The National
Museum is a trust of the government, is
an educational scientific and cultural
institution that acquires, documents,
preserves, exhibits, and fosters scholarly
study and public appreciation of works of
art, specimens, and cultural and
historical artifacts representative of our
unique to the cultural heritage of the
Filipino people and the natural history of
the Philippines.
3. National Library – The National
Library of the Philippines was established
as the Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas
through the loyal decree of August 12,
1887, provided for the “the consolidation
of all libraries belonging to any branch of
the Philippine government for the
creation of the Philippine Library”, and
for the maintenance of the same, and
other purposes. To carry out the
provisions of this law, a Library Board.
ACCESSIBILITY OF PRIMARY
SOURCES
According to Hall (2014), the two ways of
accessing the primary sources are:
1. Dusty” or Traditional Access. Access to primary
sources can be forward as talking with a neighbor, looking
at family photos, finding an autobiography in the school
library or looking at some of the local history materials at
the nearby public library. Libraries have traditionally
included in their collections such materials historical
documents, historical atlases, collections of letters, books
with photographs, etc. Libraries usually also have bound
volumes of popular older magazines micro-form versions
of other newspapers and periodical articles accessible
through indexes.
2. “Digital” or Electronic Access. Access to materials,
through both indexing and through representations of the
documents and artifacts themselves, is growing
exponentially. On Internet are virtual libraries, virtual
natural history museums, virtual exhibits, online
bookstores, and sites which will sell everything. There are
also genealogical records, patent and census records,
magazines that exist only in digital format, documents of
all kinds, Supreme Court hearings, photographs, videos,
audio, etc. At a public or academic library, the researcher
can use a computer to access digital reference book. Each
country has at least one depository for patent and
trademark information.
Historical Importance of Text
in Understanding Philippines
History
Historical text is an integral part of the past, and without it,
memories, stories, and characters have less meaning. In analyzing historical
events and in a time when cameras and smartphones do not exist, text can
help us imagine the narratives of people’s behavior.
In more technical terms, the historical text refers to the social,
religious, economic, and political narratives during a specific time in a
particular place. It is all the details of the time and place in which a situation
occurs, and those details enable us to interpret and analyze works and events
in the past.
Evaluating Historical Data
Historical text is an integral part of the past, and without it,
memories, stories, and characters have less meaning. In analyzing historical
events and in a time when cameras and smartphones do not exist, text can
help us imagine the narratives of people’s behavior.
In more technical terms, the historical text refers to the social,
religious, economic, and political narratives during a specific time in a
particular place. It is all the details of the time and place in which a situation
occurs, and those details enable us to interpret and analyze works and events
in the past.
Internal Criticism
• It looks within the data itself to try to determine the truth-facts and the
reasonable interpretation.
• It includes looking at the personal data provider’s apparent or possible
motives.
• It indicates the accuracy, trustworthiness, and integrity of the materials to
which historical data will be based.
External Criticism
• It applies experimental science to certify the authenticity of the material
that holds the data in which historical information will be based.
• It entails such physical and technical tests as the dating of paper when a
document is written.
• It involves knowledge of when certain things existed, or it supports the
claim whether it is possible or impossible to exist.
• It evaluates the authenticity and genuineness of data.
Reasons Forged or Misleading
Historical Documents
Forgeries of documents in whole or in part without being usual, are
common enough to keep the careful historian constantly on his guard.
According to Gottschalk (1969) “historical documents” are fabricated for
several reasons:
1. Sometimes they are used to bolster a false claim or title
2. Documents are counterfeited for sale
3. Fabrication is due to less mercenary considerations like political
propaganda
4. Some historical “facts” are based only on some practical jokes
5. Genuine documents are intended to mislead certain contemporaries and
hence have misled subsequent historians.
