Q&A#1
Discovering History: You need to complete the table by answering the question in
each door in order for you to deepen your understanding in history.
Door 1: Give (5) definitions of history according to various historians? Cite the name
of historians.
Answer:
The term history has a variety of interpretations. These are some of the important
definitions of history given by different historians. According to Will Durant, history
is a narrative of what civilized men have thought or done in past time. Prof. G.R.
Elton stated that history is concerned with all those human sayings, thoughts, deeds
and sufferings which occurred in the past. And for Edward Hallett Carr, history is an
unending dialogue between the present and the past, where the role of the historian is
to master and understand the past in order to understand present. Furthermore, Lord
Acton defined history as the unfolding story of human freedom. While Prof. Carl G.
Gustavson argued that history allows people to see themselves as part of a continuing
process of human development that has developed from the past. With that, he
concluded that we are the product of the past, but not the complete product.
Door 2: Which among the definitions given would be the best describe your “own”
history? and Why?
Answer:
I believe that history shapes our world and understanding the past provides new
insights into the present. My history provides a way to study and explain my previous
situations. It allows me to identify similarities which gives an idea on how to
understand and solve current and future challenges. Also, I believe that history allows
us to learn from the past. With that, we can see how others dealt with difficulties,
which gives us courage and understand the world we live in. In short, history is the
‘what’ in the past that answers the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the present. Therefore, the
definition given by Edward Hallett Carr is the one that best describe my own history,
where he stated that history is an unending dialogue between the present and the past.
Door 3: Why do you need to study the history?
Answer:
Studying history teaches us more about ourselves and allows us to go back in time
and learn about our origins. It explains what it means to be a Filipino citizen since we
will take a step back and discover what makes a true Filipino. It allows us to to paint a
detailed picture of where we stand today and expand our understanding of our
identity. Having knowledge and appreciation in historical events and developments,
particularly over the last century, allows us to have a greater appreciation for present
events. Therefore, we need to study history because it tells us how historical societies,
systems, ideologies, economies, cultures, and technologies were created, how they
functioned, and how they evolved over time.
Door 4: What role does history take in the Philippine society, culture and identity?
Answer:
History has a great role in the Philippines, especially in our society, culture and
identity. In order to understand our current society outlook, we need to look back on
what happened to our ancestors. With that, we can learn how past societies, systems,
ideologies, governments, and technologies were built, how they operated, and how
they have changed. Also, history helps us to appreciate cultures and traditions, where
we can recognize them as meaningful products of specific times and places. With that,
it helps us to realize that we have a similar goals and values from our ancestors even
if we have different experiences. Furthermore, history provides us with a sense of
identity. Nations are made up of a collection of stories and legends, and these stories
shape the way we think about our country and our standing within it. Therefore,
looking back at incredible fellow countrymen is a way of establishing our own
identity.
Door 5: As a student of history, what do you think will be your “duties”?
Answer:
Being a student of history, my responsibility is not only to evaluate and analyze every
topic with this course. But also to share it with other people as well as to purvey
historical truth. I should do my part in discovering my roots and my country's heroes.
I should initiate to learn the stories of histories so that they can never be forgotten by
my generation. Also, I should give importance to the sacrifices that were done in the
past for us to have a world and a country that we have today. Furthermore, I should
embrace the values that I can learn from historical information, such as the
resourcefulness of our ancestors and the bravery of our heroes.
Door 6: What do you know about the Philippine history?
Answer:
The name Philippines derived from Philip II, King of Spain at the time the Philippines
became a Spanish colony in the 16th century. In the 1500s, Spain conquered the
islands. Filipinos were fighting for independence from Spain in the late 1800s.
Meanwhile, in the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain fought the United States.
The Philippines were taken over by the United States after Spain lost the war. The
Filipinos tried but failed to defeat the Americans. Until the 1940s, the United States
shaped the islands' governance, economy, and culture. The islands were occupied by
the Japanese during World War II. After the war, the Philippines achieved full
independence in 1946. In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected President of the
Philippines. Marcos ruled the country with the support of the military. In the 1986
presidential election, Corazon Aquino defeated Marcos and she returned democracy
to the Philippines. However, problems in the economy and in the government were
still faced by the country. Terrorist groups were another problem. And these are some
of the Philippine history that I know.
Door 7: Can we change the history? Yes or No? Why or why not?
Answer:
We cannot change the past because it already happened. This simply means that
history is our past and there is nothing we can do to change it. Our history is our
history, whether we like it or not. Although you may wish things went differently, but
focusing on the past is a waste of time and energy. What we can change right now is
our current and future condition, based on the lessons we've learned from our history
and past experiences. History is also shaped by the present and the future. So, if we
will embrace the time we have ahead of us, we will go a long way toward building a
future that will eventually become a pleasant chapter in history.
Door 8:
For you, what is history? How did you come up to this meaning?
Answer:
With all of the definitions I've read about what history is, I've come to the conclusion
that history is the study and knowledge of the past. It's a historical interpretation and a
form of collective memory. History tells the story of who we are, where we came
from, and where we might be going in the future. Above all, it is important for all of
us to understand ourselves and the world around us.
Door 9: In your own words/ statement, use the first letter in the “acrostic” below to
describe what is history.
Answer:
H- History is the study of the past that shapes our nation.
I- It allows us to investigate and explain previous situations.
S-Studying history encourages a deeper understanding
T- To the changes in our world that is always expanding.
O- One great story from the pages of our history,
R- Reveals on how history establish our own identity.
Y- Yet, value our history with all the sincerity.