Heritage is a term that encompasses many aspects of a person's identity, including their INHERITANCE, BREEDING, GENEALOGY, BIRTHRIGHT, HEIRLOOM, PATRIMONY, DOWRY, HISTORY, ESTATE, EXTRACTION, ENDOWMENT, DESCENT, FAMILY, ANCESTRY, ROOTS, and LEGACY. INHERITANCE is the passing down of property or money from one generation to the next, while BREEDING is the process of selectively mating animals or plants to produce offspring with desired traits. GENEALOGY is the study of a person's FAMILY HISTORY, while BIRTHRIGHT is an entitlement to something that is inherited by birth. HEIRLOOM is an item of sentimental value that is passed down through generations, while PATRIMONY is an INHERITANCE from one's father. DOWRY is a gift of money or property given by a bride's FAMILY to the groom upon marriage, while HISTORY is the study of past events. ESTATE is the total property owned by a person, while EXTRACTION is the process of obtaining something from a source. ENDOWMENT is a gift of money or property given to an institution, while DESCENT is the origin of a person's FAMILY. FAMILY is a group of people related by blood or marriage, while ANCESTRY is the origin of a person's FAMILY. ROOTS are the origin of something, while LEGACY is something handed down from the past.