And your great-great grandparents. With relatives who are no longer living, write down the year and the place where they died. Ask a lot of questions. Gather as much information as you can from your mother, father, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Look at family albums, journals, letters, obituaries, or other records.
Old photographs are great sources of information and inspiration.
A fun way to find out about your family is by interviewing an elderly relative or friend. Use a tape recorder or a video camera, if you can. Or just take lots of notes. With an ordinary notebook, you can create an album dedicated to a relative or several relatives and filled with facts about their time. Record your findings.