Historical Method

and
Primary Sources
Prepared by John Henry Briones
 Contents
HISTORIOGRAPHY

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

HISTORICAL METHOD and

CRITICISM

HISTORICAL SOURCES

Source:
REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1848474.Int
SOURCES roduction_To_Filipino_History
Events observed HISTORY AS
by someone The Past RECONSTRUCTION
A part of what Source: Louis Gottschalk,
Understanding History
was observed in
the past was
remembered
A part of what
was remembered
in the past was A part of what
recorded was survived has
come to the
A part of what
historian’s
was recorded in attention.
the past was
survived The Account
 HISTORIOGRAPHY

The study of the

various approaches to
historical method, the
actual writing of
history, and, primarily,
the various
interpretations of
historical event.
(Historiography, 2021)

Source: https://www.21socialstudies.com/blog/historiography
 SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
Accidentalist
Subscribes to the idea that behind Historicist
every historical event are accidents Based on the objective study of
which served as driving force. The primary sources. Believed that the
focus is more on why the event study of such sources would allow a
happened. reconstruction of history “wie es
eigentlich gewesen ist” – as it
Example: actually was.
1. A mosquito bite prevented Trotsky
being fit enough to seize control of Method in Creating History (Positivism)
the USSR The Positivists rely on the use of sources
2. A change in wind direction prevented for accurate and complete visualization
the Spanish Armada from arriving in of the past
England
 SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

Structuralist Annales School

Believes in the role of political and Promoted a new form of history by
military structures in shaping history. studying the lives of ordinary people
This school of historiography and inquiries into climate,
emphasize that historical events demography, agriculture, commerce,
happened due to the existing political technology, transportation, and
and military structures. communication, as well as social
groups and mentalities.
Example
1. City States of Italian Renaissance Trivia
2. Absence of Church allowed Named after the journal Annales of
Renaissance to flourish Economic and Social History
 SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
Intentionalist Marxist
The school recognizes the roles Economic forces are the main driving
played by key individuals in history force in historical change. Karl Marx
as they were influenced by their relied heavily upon statistical data to
intentions and personalities thus, show that exploitation and class
they acted on a particular conflict drove history.
circumstance which led to the
unfolding of history. Example:
1. Studies of the Peasants’ Revolt
Example: which focus on prices of bread
Hitler’s master plan created and and declining wages.
caused the Holocaust 2. American Revolution
 SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

Hegelian
Intellectual movements and the
Post Modernist
The Post Modernist subscribe to the
progress of ideas are the driving
belief that all interpretations of
force in historical change. Hegel
history are valid. Foucault disputed
viewed history as a relentless
that all sources are biased,
advancement towards freedom.
Studies of ideas such as the incomplete and language itself has
no fixed meaning, therefore the past
Renaissance are often Hegelian in
cannot be known.
character.
 HISTORICAL METHOD

The process of critically

examining and analyzing
the records and survivals
of the past.
Louis Gottschalk,
Understanding History

Source: http://www.begbiecontestsociety.org/historicalmethod.htm
 HISTORICAL CRITICISM
The evaluation of documents is 1. External Criticism
known as HISTORICAL CRITICISM. Authenticates evidence and
establishes texts in the most accurate
Aims possible form.
1. Find out whether a document or
idea is acceptable as authentic or *Lower Criticism and Test of
not. Authenticity
2. Eliminate errors and to know the
truth. 2. Internal Criticism
Evaluate the accuracy and worth of
In order for a source to be used as the data contained therein.
evidence in history, basic matters
about its form and content must *Higher Criticism and Test of
be settled Credibility
 HISTORICAL CRITICISM

EXTERNAL CRITICISM
(Test of Authenticity)
1. Determine the date of the Checklist for External Criticism
document to see whether they 1. Who wrote the document?
are anachronistic 2. For what purpose was the
2. Determine the author document written?
3. Anachronistic style 3. When was the document written?
4. Anachronistic reference to events 4. Where was the document
5. Provenance or custody written?
6. Semantics – determining the 5. Under what conditions was the
meaning of a text or word document written?
7. Hermeneutics –determining
ambiguities
 HISTORICAL CRITICISM

INTERNAL CRITICISM
(Test of Credibility) Checklist for Internal Criticism
Verisimilar – as close as what really 1. Is the real meaning of the
happened from a critical examination statement different from its
of best available sources literal meaning?
2. How did the author report?
1. Identification of the author 3. What was the intention of the
2. Determination of the approximate author in reporting?
date 4. Are there inner contradiction in
3. Ability to tell the truth the document?
4. Willingness to tell the truth 5. Does the document contain bias
5. Corroboration of any sort?
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
 HISTORICAL SOURCES

SOURCES
An object from the past or Written Sources
testimony concerning the past on 1. Published materials
which historians depend in order to ➢ Books, magazines, journals,
create their own depiction of that ➢ Travelogue
past. ➢ transcription of speech
(Howell and Prevenier, From Reliable Sources
an Introduction to Historical Method)
2. Manuscript [any handwritten or
typed record that has not been
Tangible remains of the past
Anthony Brundage, Going to Sources
printed]
➢ Archival materials
1. Written Sources ➢ Memoirs, diary
2. Non Written Sources
 HISTORICAL SOURCES

Non Written Sources Primary Source

➢ Oral history Are contemporary accounts of an
event, written by someone who
➢ Artifacts experienced or witnessed the event in
*Ceramics, tools, metal objects question
(coins, personal adornment)
➢ Ruins Examples
➢ Fossils 1. Autobiography, Diary, Memoirs
➢ Artworks 2. Letters, Speeches, Manuscripts
3. Artifacts
➢ Media recordings 4. Photographs, Posters
*Audio and video 5. Audio or video recordings
 HISTORICAL SOURCES

Secondary Source
Four Main Categories of Describe, discuss, interpret, comment
Primary Sources upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize,
1. Written sources and process primary sources.
2. Images
3. Artifacts Examples
4. Oral testimony 1. Biographical works
2. Magazine and News articles
Question: 3. Literature reviews
What’s the difference between oral 4. Textbooks
history and oral tradition? 5. Commentaries
 REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES

Archives
The documentary by-product of
human activity retained for their
long-term value.
(What are archives? | International Council
on Archives, 2020)

Records can come in a wide range of

formats including written,
photographic, moving image, sound,
digital and analogue. Pambansang Sinupunan ng Pilipinas
National Archives of the Philippines
Source:
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/377528381245643647/
 REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES

Library
A collection or group of collections of
books and/or other print or nonprint
materials organized and maintained
for use.

(LibGuides: Definition of a Library: General

Definition, 2013)

Bicol University Library

Facebook account:
https://www.facebook.com/BU.UniversityLibrary Pambansang Aklatan ng Pilipinas
National Library of the Philippines
Source: https://getwaylib.wordpress.com/
 REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES

Historical Society
An organization that seeks to
preserve and promote interest in the
history of a region, a period, or a
subject.
(SAA Dictionary: historical society, 2021)

Kapisanang Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas

Philippine Historical Association
Source: https://pnhs1941.org/
 REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES

Museum
A non-profit, permanent institution
in the service of society and its
development, open to the public,
which acquires, conserves,
researches, communicates and
exhibits the tangible and intangible
heritage of humanity and its
environment for the purposes of
education, study and enjoyment.
(Museum Definition - ICOM, 2021) Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas
National Museum of the Philippines
Source: https://getwaylib.wordpress.com/
 REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES
Special Collection
Library and archival materials in any
format (e.g., rare books, manuscripts,
photographs, institutional archives)
that are generally characterized by
their artifactual or monetary value,
physical format, uniqueness or rarity,
and/or an institutional commitment
to long-term preservation and access.
(King, 2018)
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collection
Items in the Special Collections are University of Virginia
fragile, rare, and valuable. Source:
https://www.hartmancox.com/albert-shirley-small-
special-collections-library
 REFERENCES
1. Accounting Historians Notebook Accounting Historians Notebook Report on basic historical method Report
on basic historical method Academy of Accounting Historians Research Committee. (n.d.). Retrieved October
5, 2021, from https://egrove.olemiss.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=aah_notebook
2. Analysis of Sources. (n.d.).
http://gcwk.ac.in/econtent_portal/ec/admin/contents/96_P18HSC310_2020111012315516.pdf
3. Annales School. (n.d.). Utoronto.ca.
http://individual.utoronto.ca/bmclean/hermeneutics/braudel_suppl/annales_school_dir.htm
4. Candelaria, J. L. P. and Alphora, V. C. 2018. Readings in Philippine History. Quezon City, REX Printing
Company, Inc.
5. Duquette, David. 2019. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: Philosophy of History.
https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195396577/obo-9780195396577-0133.xml
6. Historical Methods. (2011). Sagepub.com. https://methods.sagepub.com/reference/the-sage-encyclopedia-of-
social-science-research-methods/n399.xml
7. Historiography. (2021). Ku.edu. https://writing.ku.edu/historiography
8. Identifying Primary and Secondary Resources. (2019). Sccollege.edu.
https://sccollege.edu/Library/Pages/primarysources.aspx
9. INTRODUCTION TO HISTORIOGRAPHY A2 HISTORY: DIFFERENT AMERICAN WESTS. (n.d.).
http://www.andallthat.co.uk/uploads/2/3/8/9/2389220/introduction_to_historiography.pdf
 REFERENCES
10. King, V. (2018). Special Collections: What Are They and How Do We Build Them? International Journal of
Legal Information, 46(2), 89–92. https://doi.org/10.1017/jli.2018.12
11. LibGuides: Definition of a Library: General Definition. (2013). Ala.org. https://libguides.ala.org/library-
definition
12. SAA Dictionary: historical society. (2021). Archivists.org. https://dictionary.archivists.org/entry/historical-
society.html
13. Sanchez-Marcos, Fernando. (2020). What is Historiography? – Culturahistorica.org. (2020).
Culturahistorica.org. http://culturahistorica.org/what-is-historiography/
14. The Annales School. (n.d.)
http://individual.utoronto.ca/bmclean/hermeneutics/braudel_suppl/annales_school_dir.htm
15. What are archives? | International Council on Archives. (2020). Ica.org. https://www.ica.org/en/what-archive

Credits:
Dr. Ruby Ann Ayo for the ppt entitled Intro to History and Historiography
Dr. Ma. Florina Orillos-Juan for the pdf entitled Historical Method
 SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
1. Evaluating Primary and Secondary Sources: An Online Tutorial. 2013. Retrieved from https://nlj.gov.jm/wp-
content/uploads/2017/03/Evaluating-Primary-and-Secondary-Sources.pdf
2. Ocampo, Ambeth. 2019, January 30. Philippine History from primary sources. Retrieved from
https://opinion.inquirer.net/119205/philippine-history-from-primary-sources