The technological advancements that have been made since the turn of the millennium have converged to offer people answers to some of life's biggest questions; Who am I? And where do I come from?
Our family history may be well known but often will not go back further than a few generations. Records and long-held family documents will often dry up around the 1800s, and it becomes much harder to find out about our family history and cultural heritage.
Through technology like the internet and genealogical testing, we can build a clearer picture of our history and our heritage, and learn about our human story so we can pass it down to the generations to come. By using the resources available to us today, we can reveal our individual and rich cultural heritage from the past, and pass it on to the future.
Begin to Build Your Story
If you are trying to get a clearer picture of your family history, you need to start with what you know and put it to the test. You may well have family stories that you have been telling for generations that are not quite true. Many people are often shocked to find that their family history has been embellished over the years, so be prepared.
If your family has an immigration story from the late 19th or early 20th century, then there should be records of each of your ancestor's immigration, which can often provide a wealth of information for you to build upon. There is an online database of passenger records from Ellis Island that is the first place to start for millions of Americans. The US Government has a large amount of census data and military records that you can search online.
Unlock the Data in Your Genes
In the last decade, DNA testing has become much cheaper and more practical for a number of uses and using samples from you and other family members can provide a huge volume of data for you to use to find out more about your cultural history.
There are a number of different services offering detailed DNA analysis, and you should check carefully that they provide the type of information you need to find out more about your genealogical ancestry. For more information about what to look for, check out this Ancestry review that covers what you can expect from DNA analysis for historical research, and the pros and cons of the information a service like this can provide.
Use Social Media to Network and Connect with People
Social Media is a technology that people often have a love/hate relationship with. It can often seem like a welcome or unwelcome distraction, but social media is also one of the most powerful tools available to us. Human history is a rich and diverse tapestry, each strand an individual life woven together by the connections we make with one another.
Much of your family and genealogical history will be similar to many other people around the world, who may have information that will shed light on unknown corners of your past. Through social media, you can connect with distant family members, and build upon the information you have found with real human connections. You will also find groups and societies online that can help you research your history, and help you follow clues to find out more information and make new connections.
Involve Your Family
Researching your history and discovering more about your cultural heritage can be an opportunity for your family to bond, and learn more about themselves, each other and their shared past.
The more minds at work, the better - there is so much information out there to research that there will be plenty of work for everyone. Together you can put together a genealogical jigsaw-puzzle that will give you a picture that shows where you have all come from, and the people from your shared past that have brought you all together.
With the technology available to us, we can find out more about our family history and cultural heritage than previous generations may have thought possible. Each one of us is a unique thread in the human story and our histories can tell us a lot about ourselves, and help us to appreciate the lives we have today.