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Subject: [RHEA] Placing Your Ancestor in Historical Context and Postcards
Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 18:49:18 EDT

Placing Your Ancestor in Historical ContextYou can't completely understand
your female ancestors without studying the history of the times and places in
which they lived. Social history can help you to understand your ancestor's
motivations and decisions, and the factors, which influenced them. It can
also help you to fill in the gaps in their story that are left by more
traditional records.TimelinesTimelines are a good first step when placing
your ancestor in historical context. Traditionally you begin your timeline
with the birth of your ancestor and end it with her death. From there you add
significant events in your ancestor's life and supplement with historical
events from the community, the country and even the world. This will most
likely help you to uncover interesting facts about the life your ancestor
led, as many of their actions were undoubtedly deeply influenced by the
events of the world around them. There are many sources for historical
timelines, both printed and online, which can help you to complete a timeline
for your female ancestors and understand their lives in the context of the
world around them.For more information on creating historical timelines:Frank
Beacon: Paralleling Family Lines
http://www.everton.com/learn/showcontent.php?id=93 Timelines and Genealogy
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/timelines/ Using Timelines in Your Research
http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/36_donna.html Internet Genealogy -
Historical Timelines and Resources
http://www.genealogy.com/201/lesson16/course16_02.html
PostcardsFor female ancestors who lived during the 20th century, postcards
are a delightful way to learn more about their lives and communities. The
first 'picture' postcards are generally credited as appearing in Austria
about 1869 (endnote 5). European countries quickly adopted them and the U.S.
soon followed suit with postcards being very popular worldwide by the dawn of
the 20th century due to their novelty and the fact that postage was cheap.
These picture postcards depict towns, villages, people and buildings around
the world and are a great resource for reconstructing the lives our ancestors
lived. From automobiles to hairstyles, postcards provide enticing glimpses
into the past.If you are lucky enough to have postcards sent or received by
your ancestors you may learn tidbits of information about the family, gain
handwriting samples and even find addresses to help you track family
movements. Even if you aren't fortunate enough to have access to a family
postcard collection, you can often find postcards depicting your ancestor's
hometown or other important details of her life. Start with the local
historical society in the area in which your ancestor lived. Many postcard
collections are also beginning to spring up on the Internet. Look at
postcards as a wonderful alternative to photographs for illuminating the
lives of your ancestors.For more information on finding historical postcards:
Research Tip: Postcards from Your Ancestor’s Hometown
http://www.everton.com/learn/showcontent.php?id=125 Vintage Postcards From
Around the World
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/postcards/ Curt Teich Postcard Archives - Lake
County Museum, Illinois
http://www.co.lake.il.us/forest/ctpa.htm A Penny for Your Thoughts
http://www.ancestry.com/library/view/ancmag/2.asp

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