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Yes, you are unique -- just like everyone else, but when you start researching your family history you become the central subject of your research. It's why genealogy is the most 'self-centered' of historic studies because it's all about the people and events that have come together over the centuries to create you. You don't have to be descended from royalty, a pilgrim or a president for your family history to be important. There are interesting people and wonderful stories in your family's past, but with each passing generation, details are lost unless someone takes the time to preserve them. So begin at the beginning with all the information you have about yourself -- when and where were you born, who have you married (if applicable), when and where was your spouse born. Note the same details for your children. Then start working backwards -- your parents' names, birth information, marriage information, and if applicable date, place and cause of death. Keep going with your grandparents, your aunts, uncles, cousins. Don't ignore these 'collateral' lines. There are clues everywhere. At some point a couple of things happen: (1) you have stacks of paper with scribbled notes and are having trouble keeping track of all the details, and (2) you have no idea of where your great-grandparents were in 1900 when they got married and you don't know the names of all 15 of their children. To solve the record keeping problem invest in a genealogical software program. While there are many such packages available, the best-known and most versatile is
Family Tree Maker. The software provides a place for each fact and keeps track of the relationships of those added to the database.
To solve the second problem, patience and persistence can fill in many blanks on your chart. It also helps that so much data has been released online and on CD-ROM. Now you can study records in archives around the world from the comfort of home.
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