Timelines can be so important in our research, giving context to our ancestors lives. Timelines of significant historical events help us to understand the times our ancestors lived in. Did they live through conflicts or natural disasters - floods, famines, diseases? Did they experience the crowning of a new monarch or a significant change in government? What were the major social changes that happened during their lives? Timelines of local events give us insight into our ancestors daily lives - holidays, popular passtimes, local culture and festivals.
Personal timelines are also useful in highlighting potential errors in our research. Look at your ancestors timelines to see how old they were at the birth of each child - especially the mother. Is she too young or too old to reasonably be giving birth? Look at the time between the birth of each child - you cannot have a child born only 6 months after a sibling. How old were they when they married or died - and are these ages reasonable?
Sometimes your timeline will highlight an interesting fact that is not impossible but worth noting. Did an ancestor enlist in the military underage - or overage? How old were they when they left school, left home, or began working?
Noting life events in a timeline gives context and helps flesh out our ancestors lives, deepening our understanding of the times in which they lived.
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