Chapter 4

Introduction to Social Studies

(Culture, Civics and Culture)

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
1. identify the disciplinary foundations of history and civics;
2. describe the structural components of time in history;
3. understand the goal of history teaching;
4. define culture;
5. differentiate tangible from intangible culture;
6. name the world heritage sites in the Philippines;
7. widen perspectives about culture and the individual;
8. expand views about culture and the school; and
9. evaluate the importance of culture studies in cell phone world.

Introduction
Social studies seek to examine and understand communities, from the local to the global,
their various heritages, physical systems, and the nature of citizenship within them.
Students acquire knowledge of key social studies concepts, including change, culture, environment,
power, and the dynamics of the marketplace. They learn about role of citizens in a
democratic society within a culturally diverse and interdependent world. They also acquire
skills of inquiry and communication through field studies and other research projects; through the
use of maps, globes, and models; and through the consideration of various forms of historical
evidence. Students apply these skills to develop an understanding of identity and democratic
values, to evaluate different points of view, and to examine information critically in order to solve
problems and make decisions on issues that are relevant to their lives.

Disciplinary Foundations of History and Civics

History
A beautiful way of presenting to children stories of great men and women that can inspire
them is through the subject of History. It presents to the pupils an analysis of events in a
chronological and simple fashion.

1
 As a subject, history may be described in several ways. First, it is almost always not exact.
There are many controversies over which even historians themselves need to agree. They need to
agree on the interpretation of events, exactness of dates, motives of people, and a lot of
other things. In teaching history, therefore, the teacher should not present it as something
absolutely correct. He or she should provide for the possibility that other facts which could change
the picture of the event being discussed may be obtained in the future. In which case, the pupils
should be prepared for such possible changes.
Because history is not absolute, then, its interpretation may vary from time to time or from
place to place, depending on who is the person looking at it. Filipinos may look at Philippine history
differently from the Spaniards or Americans. Arabians may look at the Desert Storm differently from
the Iraquis. This being so, the teacher should be readily sensitive to the possibility of
varying interpretations.
Though how imperfect history can be, it still offers the pupils a series of case stories that can
help them understand current events and situations. For instance, through history, the pupils are
able to understand why there are many Chinese in the Philippines today; and, why the
Filipino culture is greatly influenced by Spanish culture. Many questions of the pupils which involve
many complex situations today can very well be answered by the simple presentation of
history. The story of the importance of the Pasig River in the trading activities of the Ancient
Manilans can give the pupils an understanding of its importance today. As the children realize how
the River provided food, water, and transportation to the poor people of Manila, then they will
understand the difficult struggle to clean it once more. Perhaps, as they grow older, such early
understanding could lead them to participate in the effort to clean the Pasig River once more.
History is also a science. As such, it is a body of organized knowledge – a chronological
record of the significant events of the past that, have a remarkable bearing on the present.
In presenting this body of knowledge, the teacher may employ different ways.
The lesson may be presented in such a way that the teacher utilizes the other disciplines of
the social sciences. For instance, in the field of Anthropology may be utilized in resenting the story
of the ancient Filipinos. At the same time, the discipline of sociology can be of help in

2
understanding the ancient Filipino family. Geography can be utilized to help pupils understand why
the early Filipinos behave the way they do as a result of their physical characteristics of
the Philippine archipelago.
On the other hand, the teacher may opt to present the facts of history in a narrative manner
for the students to readily remember the chronology of events. Especially in the lower grades, the
teacher can capitalize on the strength of the rote memory of children.
Depending on the capacity of the pupils, the teacher may present history in an
analytical manner, not simply emphasizing the chronology of events but more so the interpretation
of these events. His can create a strong impact on the pupils’ young minds. Early enough, the
children will be given an opportunity to see patterns of development, relationship of events in
history, causes and effects of national movements. They will then become conscious of the
process by which a group of people grow and develop and how history is shaped.
Since the immediate world of the grade school pupil in his family, the teacher may teach
history by first orienting the pupils with the history of their family, then their clan, or their
town. Then, it will be easier for them to understand the presentation of Philippines history which has
a wider scope.
Inasmuch as history is value-laden, the teacher may choose to present history with
emphasis on the values it brings to the pupils. The values of patriotism, nationalism, service and
courage are just a few of the values that can be emphasized in class. The content of the subject,
thus, becomes a means to inculcate in the young minds of the pupils values which they
can depend on later in life.

Content of History as a Subject

As a subject, history focuses on the significance of the following:
1. Persons. Persons are the key players in shaping history. Their acts can be sources of
inspiration for the pupils. They can serve as models for them. Their failures and successes
can provide tremendous lessons for the pupils.
2. Time. Time is an essential concept of history. If time is lost in the discussion, history will lose its
essence. The concept of time situates the event in its proper perspective in the continuum
of events. It necessarily shows the progression of events, thus, creating an understanding
of how events developed one after the other.
3. Chronology. This concept is essential to the concept of time in history. More than time,
chronology put orders to series of events. One event alone does not create chronology.
3
Chronology requires discussing the events in the order of their occurrence in time. Without this,
history loses its meaning.
4. Place. The location of the event is equally important. Events do not happen in a vacuum, and
persons do not exist in the mind only. These realities have to exist somewhere.
5. Value of Events. By virtue of the fact that events are recorded in history, there must
be significance in them. The behavior of great men and women, their decisions, the
thoughts they produced must have affected the lives of a great number of people. Recorded
events must have affected significantly the nation’s growth and development or must have caused
great concern or changes to the nations around the world; thus, they are given due attention by
historians. Because of their value historian analyze them and put on record the effects they register
in the lives of the people.
6. Sources of Data. The reliability of the sources of the historian’s data is important in the reliability
of recorded history. Because the classroom teacher is dependent on the historians’ records, the
teacher must be aware of the historian’s sources of information, whether the sources are primary or
secondary. Primary sources are first-hand information and are always the best sources of
information. Secondary sources, on the other hand, are also rich sources of information. Textbooks
are among these. A creative teacher, therefore, can use several sources or books in
teaching
history.
Structural Components of Time in History
In order to facilitate the understanding of history, historians divide it into periods. Although
such division is not absolute in the sense that they do not represent the exact limits of each time,
they serve as effective guides in the discussion of history.

The following are the periods in history:

1. Prehistoric. It is the period for which no written record is available. History is heavily dependent
on archaeology and anthropology for the discussion of this period. For example, there are
no written records concerning the foreign relations of the Philippines before the coming of
the Spaniards. Yet, it is common knowledge that many Asian countries have been in contact with
the early inhabitants. Data on these are based on the artifacts and fossils derived from
archaeological findings.

4
2. Historic. This is the period for which written records are already available. Data regarding this
period are derived from primary and secondary sources. This period has been divided into:

5
 a. Ancient Times. This is the period which is characterized by the emergence of
great civilizations in the East and in the West. The civilizations which emerged in the East
and which are given great importance are those which emerged in the river valleys, namely,
the civilizations in the Nile River Valley, Hindus River Valley, Yellow River Valley, and the
Tigris- Euphrates River Valley. On the other hand, the West gave birth to the great
civilizations of Greece and Rome. Each of these civilizations gave rise to political, social, and
philosophical thoughts and structures that greatly influenced their neighbors.
b. The Dark Ages in Europe and the Byzantine Empire. This is the period characterized
by the Barbarian invasion and cultural stagnation in Europe. It started with the fall of Rome
and is coupled with rise of the Byzantime Empire I the East followed by the emergence of the
Muslim power.
c. The Medieval Ages. This period is also known as the Middle Ages and the Age of Faith.
As such it is characterized by the emergence of the power of the church and its tremendous
effect on the historical development of the nations in Europe. During this period, feudalism
was institutionalized. There was growth in the number of towns and cities. Merchant guilds
were organized and crusade movements were born. This was coupled with the emergence
of the Ottoman Turks in the East.
d. The Age of the renaissance. For this period, emphasis is given to the great
political,
cultural, intellectual and scientific revolutions of the time. If faith was the greatest influence
during the Middle Ages, humanism became the greatest spirit which influenced the period of
the Renaissance. This Age also gave birth to the religious upheavals in Europe, giving way
to the periods of Reformation and Counter-reformation.
e. The Age of Exploration, Discovery, and Expansion. This age was brought about the
powerful inventions of the previous Age. Stories of the adventures of explores stirred
the European interest for wealth beyond their horizons. The conquest of new lands in
the various continents of the world marked this period.
f. The Contemporary Time. This period features the rise of modern nationalism, the shift
from the old to the new political, social, and economic thoughts which shaped the history of
th
the 19 century. This period witnessed the birth of new nations, the wars which
shocked them.

The discussion of the Contemporary times also takes into account the events of the recent
past like the efforts of the United Nations to preserve peace, the formation of blocs of nations, the
5
influence of the Middle East countries in the economic development of nations, the emergence of
the Asian countries and their tiger economies.
It can easily be observed that the periodization of history has been centered on the
development of the West. The rapid development of the countries in the West enabled their people
to exercise great influence on the history of other nations in the world. The third millennium may be
a different case.
Philippine history may be divided into Pre-Hispanic, Hispanic, American,
The
Commonwealth and the rise of an independent Philippine Republic.
Since there are many factors that affect the writing of history, the teacher must be conscious
of the possible subjectivity of the written history. The teacher should always bear in mind that he or
she may unconsciously communicate the bias of the historian to the pupils or in greater probability,
his or her bias. Objectivity should always be the basis for teaching history, thus, care should be
taken in this connection.

The Goal of History Teaching

History teaching is always meant to relate the present to the past, for it is through
the understanding of the past that one develops a grasp of the current events and, thus, make wise
decision for the future. History teaching is also meant to provide models and inspiration for
the pupils. Great men and women who personify bravery, nationalism, courage patriotism and
other desirable values are so many in the books of history. Their lives can serve as
patterns worth emulating.
Finally, history teaching aims to develop among the children knowledge and skills, as well as
values and attitudes which will enable them to become worthy members of their community and
good citizens of the country.
Civics and Culture
Children at early age can be oriented towards social responsibility through citizenship
education. This kind of education provides the pupils with the opportunities to develop awareness
of the social realities in the environment and gradually commit themselves to the common good as
they grow older and they deepen their understanding of the nature of the society where
they belong.
Two important disciplines which have tremendous impact on the social understanding of the
pupil are Civics and Culture. Civics, which is a form of citizenship education deals with the
processes in society; the rules for living peacefully in the community. Culture deals with the way of
life of the people.
Grade school pupils should be familiar with their environment so that they can successfully
interact with the people around them, enabling them to become productive citizens. This task is
now becoming more complex considering the fact that a new global community is emerging. Thus,
the school should prepare the young not only for a role in the local community but for a role in a
larger global village.

The study of Civics and Culture can provide for the understanding of the following concepts:
1. Family. This is the first group to which the individual belongs. It is there where
the individual experiences many first encounters such as first relationships; encounter with
the rules of membership, first acceptance or rejection, etc. The family life of the
individual determines, to a large extent, the individual’s community life. It is, thus, the
foundation of every community, of every society. This being so, the pupils should made to
understand the importance of their families to themselves and to the community.

2. Social Responsibilities. Every member of the community is expected to contribute to the

achievement of the common good. Students should understand that their behavior in
the community affects others, too.

3. Rights. Every person has a right. There are basic human rights – the right to
life, to freedom of expression, to freedom of religion, to own property, etc. These rights are
never absolute and are always accompanied by responsibilities. Students should be taught
their rights and also to respect the rights of others. This includes, among others, respect for
the right of the unborn child, the rights of women, and the rights of the handicapped.

4. Needs. Everyone has basic needs. These are food, clothing, and shelter. It is the
responsibility of the community to ensure that these basic needs are responded to. Thus, the
community makes economic structures and activities that will help people address these
needs.

5. Leadership. Every group needs a leader. This creates the need for a political structure in
the community. This is the structure that will set the rules to maintain peace and order so
 that the members of the community can do their activities. Through this structure,
the community will hopefully achieve its common goal.

6. Social Group. Every person belongs to a social group; to their family, group of friends,
organizations and associations. People in the community are classifies into classes. Some
are in the higher class, some are in the middle and some are in the lower class. The lives of
the people in society are affected by the group or class where they belong.

7. Religion. People have their own religious beliefs. They group together to form their own
choices. Religion plays an important role in the life of the person and the
community. Religion affects the behavior of a person and of the community. It
creates a pattern of behavior for the members of the community. As such, it is
important factor in the development of people’s history.

8. Culture and Cultural Diversity. Culture is a shared behavior of the people in the
community. It is a way of living. It varies from one group to another because of the many
factors that affect its development. Respect for the culture of others is important particularly
so today, with the emergence of a global community where a meeting of the various cultures
is inevitable.

9. Development. Every person and every country wants to achieve

development. Development is the concrete economic growth of the country expressed in
gross national income. In the elementary level, a simplified way of defining and
describing development may be presented. At least, the pupils should understand the
indicators of development in terms of social and economic changes among the people.

Skill Development
Civics and Culture provide for the development of social skills among the pupils. Among
these skills are the following:
1. Decision-making. Imagine a person who cannot make a decision, or a group who cannot come
up with a consensus. Such situations are disastrous – they are prepared to make serious decisions
when the time comes to the individual and to the group. Decision-making is a skill that

8
can be developed early enough among the pupils so that they are prepared make serious
decisions when

9
the time comes. This skill is developed by exposing the children to various situations
involving decision-making in the home, among friends, in the community. They should be given the
chance to make good choices. For instance, they may be given a chance to choose their own
leaders, to express their side on some real class or life situations, to make decisions on
some theoretical situations.

2. Coping with Crisis. There are many crises which affect even the children. Therefore,
they should be prepared for these, too. Their innocence makes them victims of these crises.
Some potential experiences can be prepared for, at least to a degree, by using a technique
called crisis proofing. Crisis proofing seeks to arm the child against a crisis by providing a mild,
diluted form of experience before a serious crisis occurs. One example of such advance
crisis proofing is having an ambulance visit a school so that the children can see what is inside.
When the children are prepared, they experience less anxiety during the crisis itself.

3. Socializing. When the children understand their environment, they tend to accept it more and
are able to relate within it better. The socialization skill enables the pupils to relate with the people
around them, participate better in activities requiring group effort.

Values
Civics and Culture are power tools in values formation among the children. As they study
the way of life in their own local environment and those of others, they necessarily
become exposed to the values and value systems of people. The content and the processes
involved in studying the way of life of the people provide the pupils with opportunities for
the formation of individual and group values.

Defining Culture
Culture is a set of ideas, values, customs, power structures, and beliefs that shape people’s
actions and their production of material artifacts, including their landscape and the
built environment. Culture is not inborn or instinctive, but rather, is socially defined and determined,
and subject to change over time. The pervasive influence of culture shapes people in a common
mold.

9
 Culture is the means of ensuring unity and survival in the society. It provides
patterns of behavior of individuals and groups within the society, means of teaching its members
to behave

1
0
according to the norms and moves on the “rules of the game” and means of enforcing behaviors.
The culture of the society is reflected in its institutions and ideas, and its culture that influences
human growth and development. The schools provide us with the sense of the community
and experience of our culture; it is a highly formal system of educating the young, an institution
children are required to attend in order to be socialized and enculturated into the larger
society and common culture.

Tangible and Intangible Culture

a. Tangible Cultural Heritage
It refers to physical artifacts produced, maintained and transmitted inter-generationally in a
society. It includes artistic creations, built heritage such as buildings and monuments, and
other physical or tangible products of human creativity that are invested with cultural
significance in a society.

b. Intangible Cultural Heritage

It indicates the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as
the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities,
groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. Examples of
intangible heritage are oral traditions, performing arts, local knowledge, and traditional knowledge.

World Heritage Sites in the Philippines

1. Baroque Churches of the Philippines
The four Baroque Roman Catholic Churches were constructed under the Philippines
th th
Spanish Rule between the 16 and 18 century. These churches were built in Manila, Santa Maria,
Paoay and Miag-ao but they collectively demonstrate a reinterpretation by Chinese and
Filipino craftsmen of European Baroque architecture and decoration.
 Church of Immaculate Conception of San Agustin, Intramuros, Manila
 Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion, Santa Maria
 Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva, Miag-ao
 Church of San Agustin, Paoay
2. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
The atoll reef of Tubbataha is a pristine coral reef hosting a very dense and varied marine
wildlife. The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park covers more than 130,000 ha and includes two coral
10
islands, several lagoons and an extensive coral reef with a 100m perpendicular wall. It can
be found in Cagayancillo, Palawan.

3. Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras

The terraced rice fields of Ifugao have been formed out of the mountain slopes for
more than 2,000 years. This agricultural tradition has created an exceptional landscape, fruit
of the harmonious human integration into its natural habitat.

4. Historic Town of Vigan

The town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur is the archetype of Spanish colonial urban planning
th
and architecture in the Philippines. Founded in the 16 century, the Historic Town of Vigan hosts
many of well-preserved European style buildings, making it an unequalled cultural jewel in
Southeast Asia.

5. Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park

The Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park found in Palawan is composed of
karstic landscape, with the particularly of having underground river flowing under the
limestone reliefs. It is significant natural preservation site, with a mountain-to-sea ecosystem
and dense forests with rich biodiversity.

6. Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary

Ranging from 75 to 1,637m above sea level, the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife
Sanctuary hosts several land and water eco-systems of different elevations. The sanctuary
provides habitat for a diverse array of fauna and flora, including several endangered endemic plant
and animal species. It is located in Davao Oriental.

Culture and the Individual

Culture not only provides us the lens through which the individual perceives the world; it also
guides people in responding to what they perceive. Language is perhaps the clearest illustration of
communicating shared meanings. Cultural meanings are also infused into nonverbal behavior and
physical objects. For example, materials found in ancient ruins by archeologists help us learn about
the people who once lived in that time and place. Culture is a way of thinking and behaving; it is a
group’s knowledge and customs in memories revealed in written records. Objects used in the past,
present and future are examples.
 According to Cornstein, culture has been characterized as “continually changing – patterns
and learned behavior….transmitted among….members of the society.”
 Anthropologist Ruth Benedict provided a similar definition. “Culture is what binds man
together.”
Individuals learn to conform to the cultural patterns that prevail in their societies. Different
cultures achieve specific benefits for their members relative to place and time. Because we
are bound by our own culture, we tend to overlook different perspectives and alternative strategies
in dealing with the world around us.
Neither a single individual, or a group, nor an entire society can be understood
without reference to culture. To know the meaning of culture for various groups is to discern the
relativity of values, of what is “right” and “wrong”, “good” and “bad”, and why human beings behave
the way they do. The individual cannot survive instantly or satisfy his or her adult needs without the
aid and cooperation of others who work as functional and operative units of an entire group. As
individuals from different cultures mingle and interact with one another in a society, the
various cultural patterns adjust to each other.
A number of social scientists have pointed out the link between individual personality and
culture. Erik Erikson, whose major work is a probing study of the pervasive influence of
cultural institutions on the socio-psychological growth and development of the individual from
childhood to adulthood, describes the critical periods of human, maturing and the ego
qualities that must emerge from a successful integration of the individual’s needs and
experience with the cultural demands of the society. The child is carefully nurtured in the societal
values, beliefs and norms, so that he or she will be able to find a meaningful role within the culture.
Thus the child becomes a bearer of the parent tradition and/or instrument of societal stability.
This is an important step in personal integration or what is defined as ego development. This
development of a person’s social and psychological health finds its ultimate expression in eight
stages which are vital for personal and cultural fulfilment. These seven stages are:
1. Trust versus mistrust.
This is the stage of the infant’s initial and continuing sensuous experiences.
The sameness of familiar, comfortable experience provides a rudimentary sense
of ego development.
 2. Autonomy versus shame and doubt.
This the period of muscular maturation, of the “holding on” and “letting go” decisions
of early childhood. The child who loses self-control or is subject to over-control may develop
lasting shame or doubt.
3. Initiative versus guilt.
In this stage, the child is eager and able to work cooperatively with other children. He
or she is willing to profit from teachers and to emulate ideal prototypes.
4. Industry versus inferiority.
Now the child wins recognition by producing things and learning to use tools.
5. Identity versus role confusion.
Childhood is now at an end. One’s ego identity is the accrued confidence that
the sameness and continuity of the self will be exemplified in the wider society, in one’s
sexual identity and in the promise of a career.
6. Intimacy versus isolation.
The young adult is willing to use his or her identity with others, to make commitments,
or to enter into a partnership and to cope with those sacrifices and compromises that must
be made.
7. Generativity versus stagnation.
This is the fruition of the previous six stages. Ego integrity is the acceptance of one’s
life; despair is the lack of this accrued ego integration, and is signified by the fear of death.

The destiny of an individual in modern society is deeply influenced by the bigness

and complexity of contemporary life. According to Weber, bureaucracy is a rationalized form
of organization that eventually replaced charismatic leadership and tradition. Based on
rules, regulations, specifies roles for each individual in the organization, and hierarchy of
authority, bureaucracy functions according to universal rules designed to treat people
impersonally rather than according to their family background, political contacts or other
personal characteristics. However, bureaucracy often creates problems of its own, particularly
in connection with its tendency to end up mindless application of impersonal rules.
 The individual according to C. Wright Mills (1956), is an agent of transformation of
the society and must become aware of and participate in the public issues of the day. Men and
women
are both creators and creations of society; they must be made conscious of human condition. They
must become active agents in society, rather than mere spectators, or cogs in a vast
machine. Today, inflation, the mass media, and the complex social, political, and bureaucratic
forces tend to make individuals feel powerless and ineffectual. Education can be a vital element in
helping people learn to gain more control over their lives and future in the society.

The Culture of the School

The school has a subculture of its own a set of values and behavior that it reinforces and
rewards. Education in the school compared with that in the family or peer group, is carried on in
relatively formal ways. Groupings are formed not by voluntary choice but in terms of age, aptitudes,
and sometimes sex. Students are tested and evaluated; they are told when to sit, when to stand,
how to walk through the hallways, etc. They follow many rules, rituals, and ceremonies,
which enhance group conformity. These include student codes, disciplinary procedures, and
awards for attendance, achievement, conduct, or service to the school. In addition, school
assemblies, athletic events, and graduation ceremonies, as well as the school insignia songs and
cheers-all enhance the culture of the school and socialize the students.

The strong emphasis on punctuality, responsibility, hard work, honesty and achievement are
middleclass values. The same is true with the language spoken by teachers and the curriculum
and the tests tend to coincide with middle-class culture. Studies from lower status backgrounds are
at a disadvantage; they are not prepared to engage in self-directed learning; they often speak a
different language other than the formal one spoken by their teachers, and many lack the academic
skills necessary for school success.

Culture Studies in a Cell Phone World

Although we live at the dawn of the “Digital Age,” the Jeffersonian ideal regarding school
curriculum still stands. That is to say, a balanced agenda incorporating science, language,
mathematics, arts and humanities still produces a more capable and enlightened citizenry than a
focus on just one or two subjects.
The emerging World Wide Web provides unprecedented global information at our fingertips.
Within this milieu, culture studies are valuable not just because they inquire and teach
about others, but because they also counteract the drift to spend more time on-line and in-cubicle,
using
our technology to increase productivity and solve problems. Thus culture studies oblige students
and teachers to investigate core-culture concepts such as:
(1) diversity: how different groups produce different ideas and perspectives;
(2) tolerance: how prejudice, discrimination, and acceptance vary among societies, and how
these values evolve over time, and
(3) sense of place, territoriality, migration patterns, resource use, etc.

The process of teaching and learning about culture is inherently interdisciplinary.

Culture studies help people explore the world and their place within it. Whatever rubric or
methodology we educators employ to teach about culture, it better prepares our students to live
and compete in a world – or marketplace if you prefer – that is growing more diverse at every scale.