HISTORICAL METHOD
Historical Sources
Historical
Criticism
Outline of Discussion
I. History as Reconstruction
II. The Historical Method
III.Historical Sources [Written and Non-
written; Primary and Secondary]
IV. Historical Criticism [External and
Intenal]
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Introduction: History as Reconstruction
thehistorian is many times removed
from the events under investigation
historians rely on surviving records
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Introduction: History as Reconstruction
“Only a part of what was observed in the
past was remembered by those who
observed it; only a part of what was
remembered was recorded; only a part of
what was recorded has survived; only a
part of what has survived has come to the
historian’s attention.”
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Louis Gottschalk, Understanding
History
Introduction: History as Reconstruction
“Only a part of what is credible has been
grasped, and only a part of what has been
grasped can be expounded or narrated by
the historian.”
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History 6
What is the Historical Method?
Historians
have to verify sources, to
date them, locate their place of origin
and identify their intended functions
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In short, the Historical Method is…
Theprocess of critically examining and
analyzing the records and survivals of
the past
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
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Historical Sources
Sources – an object from the past or
testimony concerning the past on which
historians depend in order to create
their own depiction of that past.
Howell and Prevenier, From Reliable Sources an Introduction to Historical Method
Tangible remains of the past
Anthony Brundage, Going to Sources
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Written Sources
1. Published materials
Books, magazines, journals,
Travelogue
transcription of speech
2. Manuscript [any handwritten or typed record
that has not been printed]
Archival materials
Memoirs, diary
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Non- written Sources
Oral history
Artifact
Ruins
Fossils
Art works
Videorecordings
Audiorecordings
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What are Primary Sources?
Testimony of an eyewitness
A primary source must have been
produced by a contemporary of the
event it narrates
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History 12
What are Primary Sources?
A primary source is a document or
physical object which was written or
created during the time under study.
These sources were present during an
experience or time period and offer an
inside view of a particular event.
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http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.h
What are Primary Sources?
Primary sources are characterized by
their content, regardless of whether
they are available in original format, in
microfilm/microfiche, in digital format,
o in published format.
http://www.yale.edu/collections_collaborative/primarysources/primarysources.html
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Four Main Categories of Primary
Sources
1. Written sources
2. Images
3. Artifacts
4. Oral testimony
l
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What are Secondary Sources?
A secondary source interprets and
analyzes primary sources. These sources
are one or more steps removed from
the event.
Secondary sources may have pictures,
quotes or graphics of primary sources in
them.
http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html
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What are Secondary Sources?
Examples:
History textbook
Printed materials (serials, periodicals
which interprets previous research)
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Practical Example/Worksheet
Topic: Tejeros Convention
Primary Source: Santiago Alvarez’
account
Secondary Source: Teodoro Agoncillo’s
Revolt of the Masses
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What is Historical Criticism?
In order for a source to be used as
evidence in history, basic matters about
its form and content must be settled
1. External Criticism
2. Internal Criticism
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What is External Criticism?
The problem of authenticity
To spot fabricated, forged, faked
documents
To distinguish a hoax or misrepresentation
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Tests of Authenticity
1. Determine the date of the document to
see whether they are anachronistic
e.g. pencils did not exist before the 16th
Century
2. Determine the author
e.g. handwriting, signature, seal
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
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Tests of Authenticity
3. Anachronistic style
e.g. idiom, ortography, punctuation
4. Anachronistic reference to events
e.g. too early, too late, too remote
5. Provenance or custody
e.g. determines its genuineness
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History 22
Tests of Authenticity
6. Semantics – determining the meaning of
a text or word
7. Hermeneutics –determining ambiguities
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
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What is Internal Criticism?
The Problem of Credibility
Relevant particulars in the document – is
it credible?
Verisimilar – as close as what really
happened from a critical examination of
best available sources
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding
History
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Tests of Credibility
1. Identification of the author
e.g. to determine his reliability; mental
processes, personal attitudes
2. Determination of the approximate date
e.g. handwriting, signature, seal
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
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Tests of Credibility
3. Ability to tell the truth
e.g. nearness to the event, competence of
witness, degree of attention
4. Willingness to tell the truth
e.g. to determine if the author consciously
or unconsciously tells falsehoods
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Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
Tests of Credibility
5. Corroboration
i.e. historical facts – particulars which rest
upon the independent testimony of two or
more reliable witnesses
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History
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Three Major Components to
Effective Historical Thinking
1. Sensitivity to Multiple Causation
2. Sensitivity to Context
3. Awareness of the interplay of
continuity and change in human
affairs
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