Learning From History: How Did Our Ancestors Cope Disruptions?

Wars, rumors of war, births, unexpected deaths, floods, famine, etc. are not new.

It can be easy to forget that.  Easy to narrow our focus to what is right in front of us when we are going through disruptions; but disruptions aren’t new.  The things that can upend our plans aren’t new either, though the form may be different. 

Our ancestors dealt with many of the same issues we do. Like us, our ancestors had to adjust to changes in technology and an ever-changing political landscape.  They dealt with weather issues, natural disasters, wars, famines, changing climates and more.  Many of those things were outside their control also. Some survived the disruptions in their lives. Others did not.

Our ancestors were confronted with a variety of decisions.  They chose to respond to their environment in several ways. Some stayed in their communities.  Others chose to relocate, or emigrate, to new regions. These people we call immigrants.  Immigrants are those that chose to relocate to another place in anticipation of better opportunities. 

Other people were forced to relocate to new regions.  These we call refugees.  Refugees, by definition, do not willing choose to emigrate to a new place.  They do so because they are forced to in one way or another.

Individuals that chose to stay through a disruption had to adjust to the changing norms in their community.  Immigrants and refugees had to go one step further.  They had to learn how to interact with new cultures, different climates, and different growing seasons.  Immigrants and refugees had to figure out what types of food were accessible and could be grown. Preservation methods that worked in one local may not work in another.

Immigrants and refugees may have had to adapt to a geography and physiography that was very different than they left behind.  They may have had to learn new skills, new languages, new political structures and figure out what economic opportunities were available to them as well. 

All that to say that our ancestors, those that stayed and those that left may have planned for one eventuality but had to confront another.  In all those respects, they are not so different than us.

How did they teach us to deal with our challenges?  What can we learn from their experiences and their stories?  What can we learn from their choices?  This time of year provides multiple opportunities for family gatherings.  Listen to the stories your elders share. Ask questions. 

If they are no longer with you, ask their friends, neighbors or elders you come in contact with to share their stories with you.  Look for information about your ancestors’ lives in old pictures, letters, postcards, historic newspapers and more. 

If you need help with your research, contact me.  I can do research for you, and/or provide resources to help you gain the knowledge you seek.