Since many ancestors of Americans were foreign born,
naturalization records are another a source of genealogical
information that you might want to investigate. Naturalization
is the process through which a foreign born person becomes a
citizen of the United States and is eligible to vote. Not all
immigrants became citizens as it is not required. Many obtained
their citizenship because of pride in their new country and a
desire to participate in democratic elections, a privilege
perhaps not accorded to them in their country of birth. Others
became citizens for more materialistic reasons, such as the
right to acquire free land through homesteading. During times of
war, there was often hostility towards people from the enemy
country and immigrants may have obtained citizenship to show
their loyalty to the U.S., especially if they had children
serving in the U.S. Was Your Ancestor Naturalized? Before
beginning a search for a naturalization record, it may save
hours of futile research if you try to determine if t