BCG Historical Records & Archives Flashcards

Which BCG competency is demonstrated when a genealogist identifies the correct record type, locates the repository, and evaluates the record's informational content?

Answer: Source analysis and evaluation

Identifying, locating, and critically evaluating historical records demonstrates the BCG competency of source analysis, a core requirement of the Genealogical Proof Standard.

What type of U.S. record created during Reconstruction is especially valuable for researching the genealogy of formerly enslaved African Americans?

Answer: Freedmen's Bureau records

Freedmen's Bureau records document labor contracts, marriages, rations, and family information for formerly enslaved people during Reconstruction, providing rare genealogical data for this population.

How does a BCG genealogist handle a discrepancy between an age recorded in an 1880 census and an 1900 census for the same individual?

Answer: Document both ages, calculate the implied birth years, note the discrepancy, and seek additional records to determine the most likely birth year

BCG standards require documenting discrepancies, analyzing possible causes, and seeking corroborating evidence rather than arbitrarily choosing one figure.

Which repository type typically holds probate records such as wills, administrations, and inventories in the United States?

Answer: County-level probate or surrogate courts

Probate records in the U.S. are maintained at the county level by probate, orphans', or surrogate courts depending on the state.

What is the 'exhaustive search' requirement under the Genealogical Proof Standard as it applies to historical records?

Answer: Searching all records that a reasonable genealogist would consider likely to contain relevant information, given the time, place, and circumstances

Reasonably exhaustive research means consulting all record types a knowledgeable genealogist would expect to hold relevant evidence, not literally every record ever created.

Why do BCG-certified genealogists prefer to examine original documents rather than relying solely on published indexes or abstracts?

Answer: Indexes and abstracts may contain transcription errors, omissions, or misinterpretations that could lead to false conclusions

Derivative sources like indexes and abstracts introduce the risk of transcription errors or selective omission; examining the original reduces the chance of building conclusions on inaccurate data.