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Introduction to Genealogy

There are three great questions that every man asks at some point in his life. Where did I come from, Why am I here and What happens when I die? The last two questions can be debated until the end of days, but the first question can be determined with a little research.
Probably the hardest thing for anyone interested in their family history to do is to get started. Because of the nature of the project, the average person can be quite intimidated by the terms that most family historians use and the complexity of the various records that are out there for one to explore.
A person interested in genealogy has to go no further than his or herself to begin. Start by gathering as much information about your own life. Where were you born? What kind of day was it? Was there any special significance associated with your birthday? A lot of these questions can be answered by your parents and they are the best source for information, because they were there. Right all of this down in a way that is understandable to you. If you are an organized freak like myself, you can copy a pedigree chart from your local public library or online at www.familysearch.org. Once you have obtained as much information about yourself as you can, Ask your parents about them. What do they remember about their lives? Were they alive during important world events? Chances are, they were and they can give you their impressions and feelings regarding world happenings.
If your grandparents are still alive, ask them about their lives. They were born in fascinating times. My grandfather was born in the days of the covered wagon and out door plumbing and lived to see people travel by airplane and satellites launched into space.
Four generations of information is about as far as the average person can go without delving into more complicated research, but it should be more than sufficient information that will provide important insight into you as an individual. Your beliefs, how you got sooooo good looking, and many other important facts.
If you had fun gathering this information, then you have probably been bitten by the family history bug and are ready to take the challenge of more detailed research. There are numerous resources on the web to help you gather the knowledge you need to take the plunge into a fun and exciting world where you will become close friends with your ancestors!

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Introduction to Genealogy