New to Genealogy - Beginners First Step: Difference between revisions

 

 

[[Image:1585_FamilyTree.jpg|right|250px|A family tree from 1585]]Initially passed down by word of mouth the family genealogy was later depicted in the form of stylish paintings and documents.  It has currently gained international interest as access to more and more on-line records has resulted in significant advances in its documentation and display capabilities.  As it was in the times of an ancient king’s genealogy which showed his relationship to the gods, today’s family histories continue to be a form of storytelling to preserve the past for future generations. In today’s climate, the more accurately one can document the past the more likely it will survive through the ages. Today’s genealogy can take the form of simply collecting and preserving family information, all the way up to adding information to the “world tree”.  

 

 

[[Image:Wooden_hourglass_3.jpg|right|60px]]Just ask questions before it’s too late (before the information is forgotten or your ancestors are no longer accessible).&nbsp; Who are all those people in the old photographs?&nbsp; What was it like when you were a kid? How did you meet your spouse?&nbsp; Did you have a dog when you were little?&nbsp; Always remember that there are no stupid questions if there are answers to those [[Creating A Personal History|'''questions''']] but you have to ask those questions before time runs out.<br>  

*Add a "Credits" page for attribution when using [http://www.freefoto.com/index.jsp '''free'''] photographs taken from the Internet. This is also a good place to acknowledge the assistance of others (for their time, resources such as photos and documents, and any financial assistance) that helped you achieve this goal.<br>

[[Image:Brick Wall.jpg|right|200px|Brick Wall.jpg]]When you hit the inevitable [[Solving Tough Research Problems—Overcoming Brick Walls|'''brick wall''']], take a step back to double check your research or redirect your goals to other family lines. That wall may never go away but as new information becomes available on-line that wall could just as easily disappear.&nbsp; When searching other family lines of your "cousins" (not in your direct lineage) clues have been known to appear which would take you around or over that brick wall. One thing to keep in mind is that your goal of documenting your family history will actually and ultimately be a great benefit for future generations (your kid's kids) so don't get discouraged by a little [[Solving Tough Research Problems—Overcoming Brick Walls|'''brick wall''']].  

[[Image:Thumb DetectiveSilhoette.png|left|100px|Thumb DetectiveSilhoette.png]]You can utilize this Research Wiki for finding additional information to assist you in the learning process but its primary function is to identify the location of records and to provide the knowledge base on how to access and use those records. State and county information is available for the United States as well as many other countries.&nbsp; Please note that It is not required to have an active account with FamilySearch to browse this wiki but you must be signed in inorder to create or edit any of the articles.<br>  

 

 

[[Image:Treasure-map1.jpg|right|250px|Treasure-map1.jpg]]If you are interested in proceeding or are still curious about what is next, then there are several articles at this site that will walk you through the process.&nbsp; This FamilySearch Research Wiki will guide you through all the steps to assist you in achieving your goals.<br>