The study of family history or genealogy has become very popular especially after the coming of the
lnternet. People are indulging into this study for various reasons, which I shall highlight in the following
paragraphs. I believe that it is largely a positive development although there are some disadvantages also.
The most popular reason for studying the family history is that people want to know their roots. Besides
honoring the significance of one's ancestors, studying one's family's genealogy can just be plain fascinating.
It is considered by most to be the fastest-growing hobby in North America, with many surveys and media
sources proclaiming that it has surpassed quilting, stamp collecting and even gardening in popularity.
Another reason for studying family history is the potential to trace living relatives. This then opens up the
possibility offinding out about and connecting with long-lost cousins or relatives. The ability to trace living
relatives can also be important in tracing an heir or beneficiary.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of tracking family history. Genealogy begins as a
curiosity, which becomes a hobby and then may become an obsession. Then people waste too much time
and money on it. One should not forget that it is the present, which influences the future more and not the
past. Often knowledge of family history is disastrous, leading people to keep old enmities alive. lt may also
reveal unpleasant facts that one would regret knowing.
ln conclusion, it can be said that there are many motivations for studying family history from developing a
sense of belonging to maintaining good health. However, one should not develop an; bsession for it and
waste too much time and money on it. 
The study of  
family
  history
 or genealogy has become  
very
 popular  
especially
 after the coming of the 
lnternet
.  
People
 are indulging into this study for various reasons, which I shall highlight in the following
paragraphs. I believe that it is  
largely
 a  
positive
 development although there are  
some
 disadvantages  
also
.
The most popular reason for  
studying
 the  
family
  history
 is that  
people
 want to know their roots.  
Besides
honoring the significance of one's ancestors,  
studying
 one's family's genealogy can  
just
 be plain fascinating.
It  
is considered
 by most to be the fastest-growing hobby in North America, with  
many
 surveys and media
sources proclaiming that it has surpassed quilting, stamp collecting and even gardening in popularity.
Another reason for  
studying
  family
  history
 is the potential to trace living relatives. This then opens up the
possibility  
offinding
 out about and connecting with long-lost cousins or relatives. The ability to trace living
relatives can  
also
 be  
important
 in tracing an heir or beneficiary. 
On the other hand
, there are  
some
 disadvantages of tracking  
family
  history
. Genealogy  
begins
 as a
curiosity, which becomes a hobby and then may become an obsession. Then  
people
 waste too much time
and money on it. One should not forget that it is the present, which influences the future more and not the
past.  
Often
 knowledge of  
family
  history
 is disastrous, leading  
people
 to  
keep
  old
 enmities alive.  
lt
 may  
also
reveal unpleasant facts that one would regret knowing. 
ln
 conclusion, it can  
be said
 that there are  
many
 motivations for  
studying
  family
  history
 from developing a
sense of belonging to maintaining  
good
 health.  
However
, one should not develop  
an;
  bsession
 for it and
waste too much time and money on it.