Ancestry.com and The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration are providing FREE access to search nearly 500 million records and images on Ancestry starting today.
You will need to set up a free username and password to access the records.
This includes nearly 300 different collections, including ship passenger and crew lists, naturalization and citizenship records, immigration records, and key military collections such as WWI and WWII draft cards. Some other collections include:
- WWI and WWII U.S. Draft Cards
- New York, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1957
- U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925
- U.S. Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783
- U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865
- U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960
In addition, for those new to Ancestry.com, several videos are also available on Ancestry Academy™, a free program offering online courses to help families get started on their family tree building.
A library of educational videos can be found at: www.ancestry.com/academy.
- Your Family History Online: Laying the Foundation
- Beginning Your Search for Irish Ancestors
- What Is a Census Record?
- Getting Started on Ancestry: Starting Your Family Tree
- German Genealogy: The Basics