| Genealogy, or documenting your family history, is | | | | information together for a more complete history. |
| a popular and rewarding hobby. Your family tree | | | | The first step to your family tree is what you |
| can open up beautiful love stories, war heroes, | | | | already know: your name, your parents' names, |
| family traditions, and rich histories from foreign | | | | and your grandparents' names. The second step |
| lands. Maybe you'll find you're related to a famous | | | | is to interview your family members, especially |
| person. Maybe your family has a rich historical or | | | | ones with family documents like legal papers, birth |
| religious background. A written family history is a | | | | and death certificates, or obituaries. Also look for |
| gift you can pass to your children and | | | | letters, books, newspaper clippings, yearbooks, |
| grandchildren. | | | | diaries, and photographs. |
| First, genealogy requires understanding a few key | | | | Next, find sources of records of your ancestors. |
| words. A lineage or a pedigree is a line of | | | | Census records are one of the most helpful tools |
| descendants of a particular person or group. First | | | | in documenting family history. Also check records |
| cousins have two of the same grandparents, | | | | of immigration, court, probate, military, and vital |
| while second cousins have the same | | | | records. While some of these records are public, |
| great-grandparents, third cousins have the same | | | | there may still be a small fee to search, copy, or |
| great-great grandparents, and so forth. Once | | | | print the materials. If you are requesting the |
| removed is a common term to classify different | | | | records through the mail, you will most likely pay |
| generations. A cousin once removed is the | | | | for the actual postage costs. |
| difference of one generation. | | | | The further back in history you research, the |
| A family tree has many benefits. Other than a | | | | more difficult, but interesting the findings. |
| basic history of names, birthplaces, and birthdays, | | | | Generations ago, literacy was not as prominent, |
| a family tree can document family medical history. | | | | and many people could not spell their own names. |
| This is especially important to track the | | | | You may have trouble deciphering handwriting and |
| occurrence of certain genetic diseases such as | | | | there may also be typos in records. Name |
| diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. | | | | misspellings are common in historical documents, |
| Need help organizing? Computer software and | | | | especially with immigration records. |
| Internet based programs ask simple questions to | | | | With expanding popularity of genealogy, there are |
| build a text or graphic family tree with as much | | | | many historical associations which can offer |
| or as little information you have available, which | | | | assistance in your research. Most public libraries |
| helps you better search for ancestors. There are | | | | also have available resources. Internet sites are an |
| also many Web site databases to research and | | | | invaluable tool to connect family members and |
| build your family tree. Some of these sites are | | | | researchers. You can post your own family tree |
| free and others charge a small fee. | | | | so distant relatives can find you. Many sites also |
| Are you researching your family history alone? | | | | offer family history classes. Watch your family |
| Talk to your family members to see if they've | | | | tree grow and bloom as you discover more about |
| already done genealogy research or are currently | | | | your ancestors. Create an eternally rewarding gift |
| building a family tree. You can incorporate the | | | | to your family's future. |
| work they've already done and link your | | | | |