01 Handout 1 History

 

 

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Historical Sources Sources - materials used for the writing of history Classifications 1. 2.

Published materials are materials are materials that have been published for public use, such as books, magazines, reading journals, travelogues, or speech transcripts. Manuscripts are Manuscripts  are any handwritten or typed record that has not been printed, such as archival materials,

3.

memoirs, and diaries. Non-written sources, sources, such as oral history, artifacts, ruins, fossils, artworks, video and audio recordings

Primary sources  sources – materials  – materials produced by people or groups directly involved in the event or topic being studied  – either  – either participants or witnesses  – range  – range from eyewitness accounts, diaries, letters, legal documents, and official documents (government or private) and even photographs Categories: 1. Written Sources  Sources – materials  – materials written and/or published by a firsthand eyewitness or the participant 2. Images Images  – visual  – visual documents published or made by an eyewitness, or the participant 3.  Artifacts  Artifacts  – materials  – materials made by a firsthand eyewitness, or the participant 4. Oral testimonies  testimonies – documented  – documented conversations written and/or published by b y a firsthand eyewitness, or the participant Kinds of Primary Sources Used 1. Fossil Remains 2. Artifacts and Ruins 3. Royal Decrees and Laws 4. Official Reports 5. Chronicles 6. Friar Accounts 7. Maps 8. Memoirs 9. Personal Accounts 10. Newspapers

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.

Magazines Legislative Journals Court Records Speeches Personal Letters Online Databases Blogs Documentary Fi Films lms Recorded Interview Interviews s

Some Repositories (Archives) of Primary Sources in NCR 1. The N National ational Archives of the the Philippines Philippines (Manila) 2. The National Library (Manila) 3. The National Historical Commission (NHC) (Manila) 4. 5.

6.

The National Museum Complex (Manila) Private Museums and Shrines a. The Lopez Memorial Museum (Pasig) b. The Ayala Museum (Makati) The Big Four (4) University Libraries a. University of the Philippines Main Library Library (Q (Quezon uezon City) City) b.  Ateneo de Manila University’s University’s Rizal Library (Quezon Library (Quezon City) c. The A American merican Historical Collection (Ateneo) (Quezon City) d. De La Salle Salle University Libraries (Manila) e. University of Santo Tomas’ Library (Manila) Library (Manila)

Some Repositories (Archives) of Primary Sources Outside NCR 1. Local Archives 4. 2. Local Libraries 5. 3.

Local History Museums and Shrines Local University Libraries

NHC Branch Offices

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Some International Repositories (Archives) of Primary Sources 1. The Lib Library rary o off C Congress ongress (Washington, (Washington, DC, USA) 2. The National Archives and Records Adm Administration inistration ((Washington, Washington, DC, DC, USA USA)) 3. Archivo General de Indias (Sevilla, Spain) 4. Archive General de lla a Nación Nación (Mexi (Mexico co City, City, Mexico) Secondary sources  sources – materials  – materials that analyze and interpret primary sources  – may  – may have pictures, quotes, or graphics of primary sources in them Examples of secondary sources can be history books and printed materials, such as serials and periodicals, which interpret previous researches. Historical Criticism External Criticism Tests of Authenticity 1.  Anachronistic Document Document Date Date  – determining  – determining the date of the document to see whether they are anachronistic (i.e. being out of time) E.g. Mobile phones did not come into fashion before the 21 st century. 2.  Author  –   – determining the author’s manuscript (handwriting), which includes the signature and seals  seals  3.  Anachronistic Style Style – determining  – determining whether the idiom, orthography (conventional spelling), or

4.

5. 6.

7.

punctuation is anachronistic E.g. The spelling of the Filipino term catuiran catuiran fell  fell out of use by the early-20th century.  Anachronistic Event Reference Reference  – determining  – determining whether the event mentioned is too early, too late, or too remote/distant E.g. Rizal was not executed on the year 1901. Provenance or Provenance  or Custody  – determining  – determining its genuineness Semantics  – determining Semantics  – determining the meaning of the text, phrase, sentence, or word E.g. The term paraluman term paraluman was once defined as a device to serve as a guide (i.e. a compass compass)) but is now defined as a woman who becomes a source of inspiration due to her beauty (i.e. a muse muse). ). Hermeneutics  – determining Hermeneutics  – determining the ambiguity (i.e. open to more than one (1) interpretation; vague) E.g. Juan Luna’s critically acclaimed painting, Spoliarium Spoliarium,, can be interpreted in two (2) ways. The artwork’s descriptive interpretation depicts a despoiling scene in a Roman arena with onlookers waiting to get the spoils while loved ones weep of loss. Its analytical interpretation, however, shows the abuses of those in power back in the Spanish regime as onlookers never seem to be bothered by the otherwise macabre scene and await to steal what isn’t theirs.

Internal Criticism Tests of Credibility 1.  Author’s Identification –   – determining the author’s reliability, mental processes, personal attitude, and relationships 2. Date Approximation  Approximation –   – determining the event’s date that must be verisimilar (i.e. almost close to the truth), if not exact, to the actual date 3.  Ability to Tell Tell the Truth  Truth –   – determining the witness’ nearness nearness to the event, competence, and degree of attention to attain verisimilar facts 4. Willingness to Tell the Truth – Truth – determining  determining if the author consciously or unconsciously tells falsehoods 5. Corroboration – determining if the piece of information receives, supports, or confirms a theory or finding, usually referring to historical facts (i.e. particulars that rest upon the independent testimony of two or more reliable witnesses) 01 Handout 1

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Some applications •  Photograph Manipulation •  E-mail and Internet Fraud •  Archaeology and History

•  • 

Journalism Legal Studies

From Artifacts into Mentifacts  According to the Social Sciences, an artifact  (also  (also spelled as artefact ) is a material made by man that describes what culture he belongs to. But it does not necessarily refer to physical objects only. Social artifacts are also materials, but they settle their impact on the “social” aspect of the material rather than the “artifact” aspect. For example, an air-conditioning air-conditioning unit, in its “cultural artifact” definition, is a tool made by man to control heat, but its “social artifact” definition would turn it into an object who made people living in hotter climates change their lifestyle due to having it. Sociofacts are the ways in which people organize their society and relate to one (1) another. Generally Sociofacts are speaking, a sociofact is the information, tradition, or event people associate a ssociate with that artifact. So, going back to the air-conditioning unit, if the unit is made to control heat, then its sociofact to the people is that it represents office duties for those who work long hours, or to those who enjoy skating in an indoor ice skating rink, an airconditioning unit may stand for a cold Christmas skating. Mentifacts   are the ideas, beliefs, and values that people hold on, see, and associate to an artifact. Mentifacts Simply put, mentifacts are the ideas that people peop le generally thought of whenever they see se e or use that artifact, and relate it to their culture, or a local proverb or saying. So, if an air-conditioning unit is used for office work, then they can associate the artifact with comfort and relaxation. To some, they might associate it with the tragedies of summer heat and/or heatstroke. Or, it could also stand for the longing of a loved one working in a country with a colder climate. Mentifacts, together with artifacts and sociofacts, contribute to the development of culture, and account for any and all of the following: manners ceremonies laws (written and unwritten) myths and legends concept of self ideals

customs rituals institutions social taboos art and art objects customs

beliefs tools religious beliefs values language food

accepted ways of behaving

holidays

books

 Always keep in mind that the whole part of a culture is greater than the sum of its parts, and these parts are interrelated to each other. One (1) can safely say that a tool (the artifact ) involves the custom (the sociofact ) where that tool is used for, and the ideas and concepts behind it (the mentifact ). ). Culture is created by the people. It exists in time and space, where humans act and react on that given space, the passage of time, and their thoughts about things, themselves, and others. Finaly, culture is learned. Genetics has nothing to do with it. One (1) can speak, think, and act the way one (1) does because of the people and the culture one (1) is surrounded with. REFERENCES: Cuadra, J. (2017). Philippine prehistory [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – University – Manila.  Manila. Damilig, A., Ph.D. & Cuadra, J. (2017). Historical sources [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University University –  – Manila.  Manila. Damilig, A., Ph.D. & Cuadra, J. (2017). Repositories of primary sources - EXAM [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – University  – Manila.  Manila.

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Fantini,

A. E., & Fantini, B. C. (1995). (1995) .  Artifacts, sociofacts, mentifacts: A sociocultural framework framework.. Retrieved from  from  https://www.learner.org/workshops/tfl/resources/s5_artifacts.pdfDamilig, A., Ph.D. & Cuadra, J. (2017). Understanding history [PowerPoint slides]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – University – Manila.  Manila. Huxley, J. S. (1955). (1955). Guest editorial: Evolution, cultural, and biological. In In Yearbook  Yearbook of Anthropology. Chicago, Anthropology. Chicago, IL : The University of Chicago Press.

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