Migration on Waterways Premium
After the Revolutionary War, American families migrated on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, typically a one-way trip. When steamboats debuted in 1812 and flatbottom riverboats in 1815, river routes became increasingly accessible. But American settlement was still primarily confined to the eastern seaboard. The natural barrier of the Appalachian...
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Food Traditions Around the Globe Premium
Good food brings people together. If you've wondered what your ancestors from around the world ate during the holidays, here is a guide.
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AncestorNews: How Did Ancestors Vote? Premium
Have you noticed how often we group our ancestors into tidy little groups such as "my Germans" or "my Texans"? After all, categorizing our ancestors is an easy way to convey which branch of the family we're currently researching. But the people within those groups were individuals with different...
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A Day in the Life Premium
June 3, 1862: "For the first time in my life no books can interest me. Life is so real, so utterly earnest, that fiction is flat. Nothing but what is going on in this distracted world of our can arrest my attention for ten minutes at a time." —...
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AncestorNews: Count on County Histories Premium
While going through my aunt and uncle's book collection, I rescued a copy of Annals of Platte County, Missouri, published in 1897. Subtitled From Its Exploration Down to June 1, 1897: With Genealogies of Its Noted Families, and Sketches of Its Pioneers and Distinguished People, the book was a gem...
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AncestorNews: Daily Life in the Civil War Premium
When I saw the movie Gods and Generals, I started thinking about how hard it is to comprehend the daily life of our Civil War ancestors—both soldiers and civilians. I have a fairly extensive library of pioneer women's diaries, and because they really do give a clear picture of...
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Outdated Disease Names: Identify the Illnesses That Affected Your Ancestors
Fatty liver? Brain fever? If archaic medical terms are make your head spin, turn to this list of health hazards your ancestors may have faced.
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More About Mary Chesnut Premium
Mary Chesnut's Civil War C. Vann Woodward, editor, Yale University Press A Diary From Dixie, Mary Boykin Chesnut Ben Ames Williams, editor, various reprints. Mary Boykin Chesnut: A Biography Elisabeth Muhlenfeld, editor, Louisiana State University Press The Private Mary Chesnut:The Unpublished Civil War Diaries C. Vann Woodward and Elisabeth Muhlenfeld...
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Read About Your Ancestors’ Daily Life Premium
Delve into your ancestors' day-to-day experiences with the help of these six social histories.
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Mid-Atlantic Timeline Premium
Mid-Atlantic Timeline 1634—Ships The Ark and Maryland Dove arrive at St. Mary's City, Md. 1638-1655—Delaware is part of New Sweden 1681—William Penn establishes the Colony of Pennsylvania 1694—Annapolis becomes capital of Colonial Maryland 1702—British colonies of East and West Jersey unite 1729—Baltimore established and named for Lord Baltimore 1763—Mason-Dixon Line...
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