Nature of History 

• History necessarily entails interpretation – always with a perspective, often with an agenda – and thus requiring thoughtful evaluation. 
• History is always interpretation–and the interpretation that prevails is often the victors’ version.
• “History is written by the victors” (Winston Churchill).
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTION
• What is history? How is history written?

• The task of history entails coming up with the most coherent account based on the available–albeit often incomplete and contradictory–data.
• Doing history means coming up with the soundest possible interpretation despite often conflicting and incomplete data. 
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTION
• How is history written? How does one “do history”?

• We can learn a lot from our past to make our future better.
• Some lessons from history can surface only in new contexts that help shed light on the present. 
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTION
• What is the value of history? Why learn history at all?
  
  

Land and Water Forms

• Human beings and their physical environment are intimately connected; they inevitably shape each other.
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTIONS
• How does my natural environment shape my life?
• How do human activities shape and change my environment?

• Bodies of water connect more than isolate. The island of the Philippines are more connected than separated by its bodies of water. 
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTION
• How do bodies of water affect the civilizations living close to them?

Globalization

• In a globalized world, the actions of one country alone or a small group of countries will not be enough to address the world’s most pressing problems. Each country must do its part and each citizen must be a part of the effort.
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTIONS
• Why should governments work together to solve the world’s biggest problems?
• How can we connect global and local issues as we work towards positive change? 

Feudalism

• The state’s inability to maintain law and order in society tends to encourage the rise of feudalism.
  
  SUGGESTED REFLECTION QUESTIONS
• Are the systems of power, authority, and governance that were used in the Middle Ages still present in today’s modern governments?

Social Classes 

• Class distinction means unequal access to justice, often resulting in higher mortality rates and victimization from a society and its chosen government.