Lesson 1: Introduction and Historical Sources The historian is influenced by his own environment, ideology, education and

influence. His interpretation of the historical fact is affected by his context and
circumstances. It’s like the Indian parable of an elephant and the blind men,
History - refers to the study and interpretation by a historian on the data and other
historians have different historical perspective.
source
 Because certain events happened so long ago and because sometimes the evidence
of the past human activity, people, societies and civilizations leading to the present day.
is incomplete, historians have different approaches and views about what
There are three important concepts in the definition.
happened in the past. This is the subjective nature of history, one historian claims
1. History as we all know is based on past events.
an event happened a certain way, while another disagree completely. The best
2. It is interpreted by someone usually by historian. They gather, discard and interpret
approach is to do all we can to reconstruct as fully as possible our picture of the
the sources that they encounter.
past. To do this, most scholars use historiography or what they call history of
3. The most important history rely on data and documents which historian call as
history. Historiography is the study of how history was written, by whom and why
historical sources.
it was recorded as such. It is concerned with how historians have presented
history. Interpretation about the past can be objective or true as long as they are
 The subject matter of history is the life of people and humanity. Like other social
free of inherent contradictions, are not contrary to the laws of nature and are
science the subject matter of history is the life of people and humanity. But history
based on actual remains from the time period referred to. There should also a
has always been known as the study of the past. While this definition of history is
scientific discourse among historians on a particular controversial event. If an idea
not wrong, it is incomplete. Etymologically, the word history came from the Greek
that say Jose Rizal retracted on being a mason stand up to the critique of historian
word Historia which means inquiry. Clearly the word Historia does not mean past
who are the skeptical of his retraction then the idea must be true. One big
events. It denotes asking question or investigation of the past done by person
advantage of historiography is that the liars of history are usually quite
trained to do so or by persons who are interested in human past. We can say that
transparent.
historical account must be based on all available relevant evidence. Therefore a
 Another way for a historian to be objective is to follow the historical method. It is
version of the past that cannot be supported by the evidence is worthless.
the core protocols historians’ use for handling sources. An agreed ground rules for
researching and writing academic research or professional history. An objective
Historian - is an expert or student of history, especially that of a particular period, historian must verify sources, to date them, locate the place of origin and identify
geographical region or social phenomenon. their intended functions. It is important for a historian to base their accounts on
Duties of a Historian source materials.
 There are many duties of a historian. These historians seek not only historical
evidence and facts but also to interpret these facts.  Historical sources are tangible remains of the past. It is an object from the past or
 He also gives meaning to these facts and organizes them chronologically. testimony concerning the past on which historians depend in order to create their
 A person who must be able to recognize the evidence, decide how useful it is and own depiction of the past. There are three kinds of sources namely: primary,
come to conclusion based on what he has found out. secondary, and tertiary sources.
 Is responsible for reconstructing the past.
Primary Sources
 According to Gottschalk, historian is many times removed from the events under
 is a testimony of an individual who was a participant in or a direct
investigation. He added that only a part of what was observed in the past was
witness to the event that is being described.
remembered by those who observed it, only a part of what was remembered was
 It is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time
recorded; only a part of what was recorded has survived, only a part of what was
under a study. Those sources were present during an experience or time period
survive has come to the historian attention Moreover only a part of what is
and offer an inside view of a particular event.
credible has been grasped, and only a part of what has been grasped can
 are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in
expounded or narrated by the historian.
original format, in microfilm, in digital format or in published format.
 Some authors define history as a study of historical perspective. In reconstructing
the past, a historian can be subjective; after all he is human, fallible and capable
error. People’s memories are filled with bias, self righteousness, pride, vanity,
spinning, obstruction and outright lies. Each has his own frame of reference or a
set of interlocking values, loyalties assumptions interest and principle of action.
Five Categories of Primary Resources 5. Images - It includes photograph, posters, paintings, drawing cartoons and maps.
1. Written Resources - The most common are written sources or documents. They are
written or printed materials that have been produced in one form or another sometime
in the past. They may be published materials such as travelogue, transcription of speech,
autobiographies, journals or newspapers (La Solidaridad). They can be also in
manuscript form or any handwritten or type record that has not been printed. Example
of these is archival materials, memoirs, diary, personal letter or corespondence.

2. Numerical Records - which include any type of numerical data in printed or

handwritten form. Secondary Sources
 Tertiary Source
The last kind of sources is the tertiary source. It provides third hand information by
reporting ideas and details from secondary source. An eyewitness is more reliable than
testimony at second hand, which is more reliable than hearsay or tertiary sources. This
does not mean that tertiary sources have no value, merely that they include potential
for an additional layer of bias. Some examples of this kind of source are encyclopedia,
3. Oral Statetments - which include any form of statement made orally by an almanac, Wikipedia, YouTube, dictionaries, message boards, social media sites and
eyewitness. It maybe through video recordings, audio recordings, or transcribed. other search sites.

4. Relies - any objects whose physical or visual characteristics can provide some
information about the past.
 Lesson 2 - Historical Critisms because the act of writing is a skill is learned through repetition until it becomes a habit.
 It is also known as the historical-critical method, Historical criticism is a branch of Thus, there is natural variation in everyone handwriting. In addition, no one can
criticism that investigates the origin of text or source in order to understand the word duplicate all of the intricate subconscious writing habits of another in an extended
behind the text. writing sample. Example of this is the handwriting in the alleged retraction letter of
 The primary goal of historical criticism is to discover the text primitive or original Jose Rizal.
historical context and its literal sense. The secondary goal seeks establish a The third test in determining the authenticity of the source is by looking for the
reconstruction of historical situation of the author and recipients of the text. anachronistic style. In this test we will examine idiomatic expression or the
 Moreover, in order for source to be used as evidence in history, basic matters orthography used in the documents. An idiom is an expression, word or phrase that has
about its form and context must be settled. These are two types of historical a figurative meaning conventionally understood by native speakers. When we say
criticism namely: external criticism (investigates the documents form) and ‘break a leg’ we all know that it means good luck. Orthography is a set of conventions
internal criticism (investigates the content of the documents). for writing a language. It includes norms of spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, word
 Historical criticism seeks greater understanding of the texts by analyzing the breaks, emphasis and punctuation. When the poem Sa Aking Mga Kabata was allegedly
historical and social contexts in which they developed. written in 1869, most Philippine language was widely written in a variety of ways
 The goal of historical criticism, traditionally, has been to try to understand the based on Spanish Orthography
text’s meaning in its original context and to answer questions about the text, such The fourth test is the anachronistic reference to events. For example if the
as: event cited in the document is prior to the actual even, then the document must be
 Who wrote it? forhe or fake.
 When was it written? The fifth test of authenticity is the provenance or custody of the document.
 What else what happening at the time of ts writing? Provenance is the place of origin of earliest known history of documents. It traces the
 How did it come to be in the form we have it today? roots of any source.
 What did it mean to the people who first read or heard it?
 Two Test of Authenticity
1. Semantics - is the linguistic study of meaning. In this test semantics determine the
External Criticism
meaning of the text and words of the source. We may ask: is the meaning of the
Ths type of criticism looks for the obvious sign of forgery or misinterpretation.
statements different from its literal meaning?
This type of citicism testes the authenticity of the sources. It is interested in the writing
2. Hermeneutics - on the other hand is theory and methodology of interpretation.
styles of the eyewitness and his ignorance of the facts. The historian also analyzes the
Hermeneutics is more than interpretation or method used when immediate
orginal manuscript; its integrity localization and the date it was written. To ascertain if
comprehension fails. In historical criticism we determine ambiguities which are a
a particular data is fabricated , forge, fake, corrupted or a hoax, that source must
word or expression that can be understood in two or more possible ways.
undergo the test of authenticity.
Historians may look also if the statement is meant to be ironic (i.e. mean other
 Test for Authenticity
than what it says).
The first step is to determin wheter the document is Anachronism - means out of time
or order. time. It could be a person, thing or idea placed in a wrong time. Being able to
spot anachronism is important because it helps us test the reliability of a source. If a Internal Criticism
source is unreliable then we probably should not use it .Example can be found in Rizal’s This type of criticism looks for deeper or more intense study of sources. Usually
allegedly first poem “ Sa Aking Mga Kabata” where we could find the word “kalayaan”. historians first apply external criticism before undergoing the test of credibility
Rizal admitted that hefirst encountered the word though a Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s because of internal criticisms implicit character. It is important that the
translation of Rizal’s essay “ El Amor Patrio”. Rizal wrote this essay in 1882 while the document must be verisimilar or as close as what really happened from a critical
poem supposedly was written by him in the year 1869. examination of best available resources. It refers to the accuracy of the content of
a document. Internal criticism has to do with what the document says. It
The second step is to determine the author’s handwriting, signature or seal. investigates the content or substance of a document and the author’s point of
We can compare the handwriting of particular author to his other writings. Obvious view. This type of criticism tests the credibility of the source.
sign of forgery in include patch writing, hesitation as revealed by ink blobs, pauses in  Test for Credibility
the writing, tremor causing poor line quality and erasures. However, some people are The first step is the identification of the author. It determines if the
highly skilled in imitating others handwriting. Even a skilled forger can be caught witness is reliable or if he is consistent by comparing his other works. In this steps
historian also examine the mental processes of the witness, if he is capable of who are the creator and the time of creation. Most of the sources have unique type
telling the truth, or if he is mentally challenge. Finally we will look for his personal of audience like academic journal is for students and other university audience or
attitudes, if he is telling something beyond what he saw or bragging about it. Many books is for general public.
historian use some kind of rubric to test the credibility of the author. Next task is to look for the purpose or motive of the source. How do you
The second step in testing the credibility of the eyewitness is to discover the purpose or the reason it was originally made? First understand the
determine the approximate date. Example of this is again Rizal’s poem “Sa aking historical context. Next is to do a background research. Then look at important
mga kabata”. He wrote that poem when he is only eight years old and that poem is historical event at the time the source was made. Finally ascertain intended
with rhythm and meter. To think that when Rizal was 8 years old the primary audience.
education in the Philippines was nonexistent.
The third step in testing the credibility of the source is its ability to tell Content Analysis of the Important Historical Information
the truth. Historians examine how near an eyewitness is to the event. The closer a Found in the Document
source is to the event which it purports to describe, the more one can trust it to First look for corroboration between the research you gather from the
give an accurate historical description of what actually happened Historian also internet and the primary source that your instructor has given to you. They may
look for the competence of the eyewitness. Basically they look for the background not use exact the same word or they can express the same information in different
of the author like education, health, age or social status. The last test for this step is ways and we can still use as corroboration. Look also if your source agrees with
the degree of the attention of the eyewitness. Whether the sources witness the information from another source. Attention also must be the
event only partly or if he witnesses the event from the start to finish. given to the intended audience and purpose.
The fourth step is the willingness to tell the truth. If the eyewitness is Next, in order to analyze the primary source, look for bias. There is a bias
coerced, forced or somebody threaten him to tell something then his account is not when a source’s information is unbalance or prejudiced. There are two kinds of
valid. If the eyewitness wants to hide something for personal reason bias: either it is strongly positive (strongly in favor of) or strongly negative
The last step is to look for corroboration. This particular step rest upon (strongly against). If you’re looking for a bias in written source you’ll need to find
the independent testimony of two or more reliable sources. The words word choices that are extreme in their description. If it is a visual source you’re
independent testimony must be emphasize. For instance, if the soldier who fought looking for a depiction that is clearly exaggeration (see the example of cartoon in
the battle, a general who oversaw the battle and a doctor who treated those module 1). Most of the primary source we will encounter is written documents so
wounded who fought the battle, all recorded the same fact or all agree about an we will focus our attention to that kind of primary source. How can we find bias in
event, historians consider that event proven. word choices? If it is too positive that provides little negative information then
there is an extreme positive bias.
Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Last task is to analyze the historical context of the document. Context is the
Primary Sources awareness that sources were created at times which were very different to our own.
First the researcher must provide brief biographical sketch of the author or Historical empathy understands the past without judging it by moder standards. To
creator of the primary source. Family backgrounf, educational attainment, religion determine historical context, we must look when the source is made (preferably
and many others shall be given priority in presenting the biography of the author. the exact date). Next is where was it created Third, what event occurred at the time
Basic background of the source like the type of primary source, how many and then read the source to identify specific language.
parts or chapter, how long is the document shall be given attention. Next is to Contribution and Relevance of the Document in Understanding the
locate where the primary source can be found. The repsitory of primary sources Grand Narrative of Philippine History
may be found in the libraru, archive, museum, historical society or special In this activity look for the cause and consequences of the primary sources. A
collection of private individuals. cause is a person or thing that makes something happens while a consequences is a
To check the authenticity of the surce, check the provenance or origin of the direct result of the cause. Example is the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan. That event
said document. Determine also the intented audience or the people or origin of the is the cause while being converted to Catholicism is the effect or the consequence.
document. While it is easy to determine the audience of the aforementioned
sources most of the time you have to guess. What to do? A researcher must find out
 Look for the historical significance or what modern people consider to be authorities for being involved with the KKK. He was pardoned by the Spanish court
important from the past. There are many events in our history we have to choose on May 27, 1897 and he travelled back to Spain in July. In 1899 he was appointed
but few people, events or ideas to focus on. Since significant is a decision we make, by the Malolos Republic as a member of Paris delegation which was working for the
it means different people can decide different thing are particularly the most diplomatic recognition of the Republic.
important. They can disagree also the reason why particular event is important. He travelled back to the Philippines upon hearing the death of his brother,
How to determine significance of the event? We have to follow the acronym Antonio. He travelled to Hongkong but died there aged 42 on December 7, 1899
NAME or Novelty, Applicability, Memory and Effect. Novelty or when something is from a heart attack.
new or never been seen before. Example is when Cory Aquino became President; it Historical Background of the Primary Source
is significant because she is the first female president of the Philippines.
Applicability or when it is similar to the present. The Spanish Flu of 1918 suddenly The Parisian Life is also known as Inside a Café. It is 1892 oil on canvas
became important topic because of Covid-19. Memory or how it has been painting that measures 22”x31” which was made in Paris, France. Considered to be
remembered over time. The typhoon Yolanda is remembered because it is the one of the last major works Luna has done during his post academic and life in
strongest weather disturbance that hit the country. Lastly the Effect or how people Paris.
have been affected. Taal Volcanic Eruption is significant particularly in Batangas The painting is housed in the National Museum. Provenance of Dr. Ariston
area because many were affected. Bautista Lin, one of the three audience to the woman pictured in the painting. It is
Example of Content and Contextual Analysis Type of Primary Source: Images now owned by the GSIS (brought from Christie’s Hong Kong in 2002 for Php
Painting- Juan Luna's The Parisian Life 46,000,000)
Background of the Author -Juan Luna (1857-1899) Apparently the painting is for European audience. The woman in the painting
is a Caucasian and this work of art belong to the impressionistic movement
He was born on October 24, 1857 in Badoc Ilocos Norte. He is the third among originated with the group of Paris-based artist whose exhibition brought them to
seven children of a well to do couple Joaquin Luna ad Laurena Novicio. prominence during the 1870’s and 1880’s. But some interpretation points that the
He took the Bachelor of Arts in Ateneo de Municipal and Marine painting is really for Filipino’s. The first owner of this primary source was a Filipino
Transportation (sailor) from Escuela Nautica de Manila. He took drawing lesson and the woman symbolizes the Philippines.
from Lorenzo Guererro and Agustin Saez. He went to Europe in 1877 and took What is the motive of the painter? If we look at the historical context, the year
painting lessons in Escuela de Bellas de San Fernando (Madrid) but dropped out to 1892 was the year when Rizal went back to the Philippines to established La Liga
work with the painter Alejo Vera. Filipino because he was disappointed with the Propaganda movement. Juan Luna
With the opening of Exposicion National de Ballas Artes 1878, his artistic also experience personal difficulties at that time with his insulares wife Paz. Soon
talent was established. From them on, Luna became engrossed in painting and after the La Liga foundation, Rizal was arrested and deported to Dapitan.
produced a collection of painting that he exhibited from several expositions from Thereafter Juan Luna must be affected by what happened to his best friend and his
1881. He won a gold medal from Madrid Exposition for his Spoliarium while after disappointment with his wife so that the subject matter of this masterpiece must
his death in 1904 The Parisian Life won the silver medal at the St. Louis (USA) had been the result.
lixposition. In 1883 Luna started the painting Blood Compact to fulfill his
pensionado obligation from the Ayuntamiento (Manila Council). He also developed
Content Analysis of the Important Historical Information
a friendship with the king of Spain so that the Spanish Senate commissioned the Found in the Painting
painting La Batalla de Lepanto. During this period he became part of propaganda One interpretation claims the lady as the mirror image of the Philippine
movement and befriended several members of the organization like Jose Rizal and archipelago. Superimposition of the Philippine map’s mirror image on the lady
Trinidad Pardo de Tevera highlights the following: the contour of Northern Luzon follows the same contour of
He married Maria de la Paz Pardo de Tavera. They had one son Andres and a the lady’s bodice; the distance between Infanta, Quezon and San Antonio, Zambales
daughter Maria de la Paz who died when she was three year old. After the death of is exact to the small waistline of the lady ; all islands of Visayas and Mindanao are
his daughter the couple had marriage difficulties. It culminated in the killing of his evenly spread out within the pink gown of the lady; the island of Palawan has
wife, mother in law and wounding of Felix, one of his brothers in law. On exactly the same incline and shape as the arm of the lady; the mountain range that
September 16, 1896, he and his brother Antonio were arrested by Spanish separates Surigao from Agusan and Davao is exact to the dark fold of the lady’s
gown from north to south; the site of the birth of 1898 Philippine Independence, Contribution and Relevance of the Document in Understanding the Grand
Kawit Cavite, is exact in the lady’s womb, site of a woman’s birthing; the site of the Narrative of Philippine History
declaration of 1899 Constitution, Malolos, Bulacan, is exact on the navel of the lady. (Juan Luna) was able to convey multitude of message in a very limited space
Constitution is the bloodline of the nation in an otherwise simple subject. Although his character was not heroic for he has
nd the umbilical cord is the infant’s bloodline to his mother; and Cebu covers a many character flaws. But then he used his great talent to advance the Filipino
knee of the lady. Cebu is the site of the first Christianization in the country. cause. This painting and other visual arts can be use as a primary source to
Simply the interpretation contends the lady as our motherland. The motivate our students to do move for ournation. The message of this painting can
motherland is awkwardly poised, disturbed with a blank stare, unsure whether to be a cause while a simple compliance of the new normal can be the consequence.
stand up or remain seated. With this contention, it integrates cohesively other
elements in the painting. ORDER FORM The three heroes are discussing the Relevance of the Document to the Present Time
disturbed state of the motherland in 1892. It is the exact year when La Liga Filipina The significant of this work of art is that it is one of the products of the genius
was formed (July 3); when the Katipunan was formed (July 7) and when Jose Rizal of JuanLuna. He was one of the first international celebrities that highlight Filipino
was banished to exile in Dapitan (July 7). The year 1892 was the eve of the talent. He was the Manny Pacquiao and Hidelyn Diaz of the 19th century.
Philippine Revolution. The newspaper L’Echo De Paris is folded behind the lady. The year of 1892 is one of the turning point in our history. The failure of the
The newspaper signifies the Cry of Bastille or French Revolution, inspiration of the propaganda movement and the establishment of the katipunan are very important
Philippine Revolution. The French aspirations of Liberty, Fraternity and Equality in our history. Many of thepropagandists like Juan Luna and Rizal contributed their
were identical to the longings of the Filipinos. talents to advance the Filipino aspirations. In doing so many of them suffered
personal tradegies (download Xiao Chua blog about Marcelo H. del Pilar and
Graciano Lopez Jaena). As to the katipuneros, many of them died in their quest for
freedom. Today 2020 is another turning point in our history, the Covid 19
pandemic cause death and economic downturn never seen in our history. If the
katipunero and propagandist gave their lives for our freedom, we can contribute by
cooperating with the guidelines of government agencies.
The painting causes controversies when it was purchase by GSIS in 2002.
Many members of GSIS accused Winston Garcia (then President of GSIS) of
corruption. Now 2020, another government own and controlled corporation is in
the midst of scandal. Philhealth President Ricardo Morales was forced to resign
because of the so called Mafia inside the agency.

One Past but Many Histories

A. The First Mass Site in the Philippines According to Pigafetta, the first Mass was
celebrated on March 31, 1521, an Easter Sunday. Pigafetta referred to the venue
as "Mazaua." Some say that the venue is the island of Limasawa in Leyte. Others,
however, claim that Pigafetta was referring to Masao the community at the mouth
of Agusan River adjacent to what is now the city of Butuan. Nearing 500 years
since the first Mass, debates continue whether it was held on Limasawa Island, in
Agusan or somewhere else.
1. Reading- Primary Sources
✓ Antonio Pigafetta. First Voyage Around the World
✓ Francisco Albo Logbook
 2. Reading-Secondary sources ✓ De Jesus, Gregoria, “ Version of the First Cry” in Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia
✓ Bernad, Miguel A. Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in the Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Vol.8 (Manila: National Book
Philippines: A Reexamination of the Evidence. Kinaadman: A Journal of Store, 1990) 305-306
Southern Philippines, vol. III (1981) pp 1-35 ✓ Masangkay, Guillermo, “Cry of Balintawak” in Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia
Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Vol.8 (Manila: National Book
B. The Two Faces of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny Store, 1990) 307-309
Two major events happened in 1872, first was the 1872 Cavite Mutiny and the 2. Reading- Secondary Source
other was the martyrdom of the three martyr priests in the persons of Fathers ✓ Guerrero, Milagros C. et.al. Balintawak : The Cry for a Nationwide Revolution
Mariano Gomes, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (GOMBURZA). However, not all of https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/in-focus/balintawak-the-cry-for-a-
us knew that there were different accounts in reference to the said event. All nationwide-revolution/
Filipinos must know the different sides of the story—since this event led to another
tragic yet meaningful part of our history—the execution of GOMBURZA which in D. Five Steps to Writing Strong Position Paper
effect a major factor in the awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos. In a position paper assignments, your charge is to choose a side on a particular
1. Readings- Primary sources topic, sometimes controversial, and build up a case for your opinion or position.
✓ Montero y Vidal, Jose, “Spanish Version of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872” in You will use facts, opinion, statistics, and other forms of evidence to convince your
Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, reader that your position is the best one. To do this, you’ll collect research for your
Vol.7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990) 269-273 position paper and craft an outline in order to create a well-constructed argument.
✓ Izquierdo, Rafael, “ Official Report on the Cavite Mutiny” in Gregorio F. Zaide
and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Vol.7 (Manila: Collect Supporting Evidence
National Book Store, 1990) 281-286 Once you’ve determined that your position is supportable and the opposite
✓ Pardo de Tavera, Trinidad, “ Filipino Version of the Cavite Mutiny” in Gregorio position is (in your opinion) weaker than your own, you are ready to branch out
F. Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Vol.7 with your research. Go to a library and conduct a search, or ask the reference
(Manila: National Book Store, 1990) 274-280 librarian to help you find more sources. You can, of course, conduct online research
✓ Plauchut, Edmund, The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the Martyrdom of Gom-Bur- as well, but it’s important to know how to properly vet the validity of the sources
Za” in Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine you use. Ensure that your articles are written by reputable sources,
History, Vol.7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990) 251-268 and be wary of singular sources that differ from the norm, as these are often
subjective rather than factual in nature.
C. Cry of Balintawak or Pugadlawin? Try to collect a variety of sources, and include both an expert’s opinion (doctor,
The controversy among historians continues to the present day. The “Cry of Pugad lawyer, or professor, for example) and personal experience (from a friend or family
Lawin” (August 23, 1896) cannot be accepted as historically accurate. It lacks member) that can add an emotional appeal to your topic. These statements should
positive documentation and supporting evidence from the witness. The testimony support your own position but should read differently than your own words. The
of only oneeyewitness (Dr. Pio Valenzuela) is not enough to authenticate and verify point of these is to add depth to your argument or provide
a controversial issue in history. Historians and their living participants, not
politicians and their sycophants, should settle this controversy. A position paper can be arranged in the following format:
1. Readings- Primary Source 1. Introduce your topic with some basic background information. Build up to your
✓ Valenzuela, Pio, “Cry of Pugadawin” in Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia Zaide, thesis sentence, which asserts your position. Sample points:
Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Vol.8 (Manila: National Book Store, * For decades, the FDA has required that warning labels should be placed on certain
1990) 301-302 products that pose a threat to public health.
✓ Alvarez, Santiago, “Cry of Bahay Toro” in Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia Zaide, * Fast food restaurants are bad for our health.
Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Vol.8 (Manila: National Book Store, * Fast food packages should contain warning labels.
1990) 303-304
1991) 2. Introduce possible objections to your position. Sample points:
* Such label would affect the profits of major corporations.
* Many people would see this overreaching government control.
* Whose job is it to determine which restaurants are bad? Who draws the line?
* The program would be costly.

3. Support and acknowledge the opposing points. Just be sure aren’t discrediting
your own views. Sample points:
* It would be difficult and expensive for any entity to determine which restaurants
should adhere to the policy.
* Nobody wants to see the government overstepping its boundaries.
* Funding would fall on the shoulders of taxpayers.

4. Explain that your position is still the best one, despite the strength of
counter-arguments. This is where you can work to discredit some of the
counter-arguments and support your own. Sample points:
* The cost would be countered by the improvement of public health.
* Restaurants might improve the standards of food if warning labels were put into
place.
* One role of the government is to keep citizens safe.
* The government already does this with drugs and cigarettes.

5. Summarize your argument and restate your position. End you paper focusing on
your argument and avoid the counter-arguments. You want your audience to walk
away with your view on the topic being one that resonates with them. When you
write a position paper, write with confidence and state your opinion with authority.
After all, your goal is to demonstrate that your position is the correct one.