Req 2 — Tell a Personal Story
For this requirement, you choose exactly one path. Both options teach an important genealogy lesson: family history is not just names and dates. It is also the story of real people’s lives.
Req 2a — Timeline & Biography helps you organize life events in order and then turn those events into a short written story. You might make the timeline about yourself or about a relative. This option builds skills in sequencing, summarizing, and noticing how one event can lead to another.
Req 2b — Six-Week Journal asks you to record your own life as it happens. Instead of looking backward, you become the primary source. This option teaches you how everyday details become valuable family history later.
A good genealogist learns to value both kinds of evidence. Timelines and biographies help you reconstruct the past from known events. Journals preserve the present so future family members can understand what life was like for you.
How to Choose Your Option
Pick the one that best matches your interests and schedule
- Time available: Req 2a can often be completed in a shorter burst of work; Req 2b takes six weeks of steady writing.
- Writing style: Req 2a works well if you like organizing facts into a finished story; Req 2b fits you if you like short reflections over time.
- Who it focuses on: Req 2a can spotlight a relative as well as yourself; Req 2b focuses on your own current experiences.
- What you will gain: Req 2a builds biography and timeline skills; Req 2b teaches the value of keeping a primary-source record.
Now choose your path and start with the timeline-and-biography option.