Family tree
(DVD)

Originally produced for television broadcast as part of the History Channel's series, Time machine.

Camera, Chris Borghesani ... [et al.] ; editor, Terri Barbagallo.

Host, Josh Binswanger ; narrator, Benjamin Bratt.

Filling in the branches of a family tree used to be an arduous task, but the internet, DNA research, the increased availability of public records and a host of other factors makes this fun and fascinating job much easier. Through a host of compelling examples, FAMILY TREE shows the wealth of information that is now available, following amateur and professional genealogists as they uncover their personal history. And not all are doing so simply for curiosity's sake. A group of Native Americans is hoping that ancestral DNA will help them win tribal recognition from the government. In another segment, a British historian traces two deadly genes through the European royal family to solve a decades-old mystery surrounding Queen Victoria. A more typical search is conducted by actor William Baldwin, who traces his family's roots back to 1638. With each story, FAMILY TREE introduces and analyzes the tools available to help with these searches, from the online database of Ellis Island to oral histories, city directories and slave lists. FAMILY TREE also looks to the future of genealogy, where new advances may allow people to trace their origins to prehistoric times!

DVD.