...the historian has discovered that he
can enrich his understanding of the past by seeing it from the perspective
of those most affected by its events. He has also discovered that the family
and the individual had a greater impact on historical events than was
previously thought possible, and that the effect of an event on individuals,
families, and communities may be more important than the event itself.
Val
D. Greenwood, The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy.