In other sections it zooms in to focus on what God did in the lives of certain people. Archeology has confirmed the historical accuracy of Genesis in a number of ways. Cities from the time of Abraham, writing from ancient times, and cultural practices which show up in Genesis are very much in agreement with Archeological research. At the same time, there are still some unanswered questions about the places, events, and the cultural background of what Genesis describes. Genesis, however, should be viewed as historically accurate, though it is not meant to be a complete history of ancient times.
Genesis shows how families grew into nations.
It is interesting to see the connections between individuals mentioned in Genesis who became nations of peoples mentioned later in the Old Testament. You can also trace how one person's disobedience to God, such as Cain or Noah's son Ham for instance apparently had far reaching effects that led to wicked nations of peoples God would later judge severely. In Genesis you can also see how certain individuals among the descendants of Abraham had very important influence on a multi-national scale, such as Joseph. Genesis gives a unique perspective on how God sovereignly uses individuals to affect history. Genesis covers thousands of years of Earth's early history.