GenWeekly, Vol. VII, No. 12
It's Genealogy. It's Weekly. It's GenWeekly.
March 19, 2010
Elisabeth Lindsay, Editor
All articles are copyright (c) 2009 Genealogy Today, LLC.
This Week's Articles
The original article(s) in this section are available only to subscribers. You can learn about our $9.95 annual subscription at http://www.genweekly.com/subscribe.html.
by Jean Hibben. The history behind the revered Irish anthem.
by Judy Rosella Edwards. Knowing family health information can aid research.
Recent News
- Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records Go Online For The First Time At Findmypast.co.uk. In-depth and colourful insight into the lives of ordinary ranking soldiers.
- Smithsonian Commemorates 100 Years on the National Mall. Those interested in DNA studies and deep ancestry may be interested in this new exhibit.
- More than a cemetery survey. East Tennessee researcher brings added value to cemetery records.
The Genealogy Guide
In the interest of helping readers gain better insight into genealogical terms, Genealogy Today has created a Genealogy Guide. Each week, GenWeekly features a new term from the continually expanding Genealogy Guide.
The word suffrage derives from the Latin "suffragium," meaning "voting tablet" or "right to vote," especially in a political election. The most common use of the word in modern times is related to the voting rights campaigns such as the Women's Suffrage Movement and the movement to gain voting rights for African-Americans. Advocates of voting rights were called suffragists; women advocates were often called suffragettes. Suffrage or the right to vote varies from country to country, and various conditions may exist.
In genealogy, where ancestors lived and at what time period can tell you something about their voting rights. Also, the right to vote may determine whose name appears in certain historical documents such as voting registers and poll tax lists. It is also possible one's ancestor participated in a suffrage movement. The right to vote brings with certain rights and privileges beyond casting a ballot, more or less granting full citizenship, greater independence, and often increased legal rights. Historically, it is the lack of legal rights that make it difficult when researching women and minorities.
Archive Articles
For additional reading on the topics covered in this week's newsletter, you may wish to read the following articles from the GenWeekly archive:
- The Quilt in the Corner: Researching Ancestors in the Museum. (In honor of National Quilting Day, March 20)
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