Liz Sonneborn - The United States Constitution

The U.S. Constitution is possibly the most important document in U.S. history. Itestablished how the government of the United States works. It also set out certainbasic rights that all U.S. citizens share.

The U.S. Constitution is an example of a primary source . Primary sources are writtenor made by someone living through a historical event. Like the Constitution, someprimary sources are ofcial documents. But more informal writings, such as diariesor letters, are also helpful to historians. By studying primary sources, historianscan create a picture of how people lived in the past.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establishJustice, insure domestic Tranquility [peace], provide for the common defence, promotethe general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity[future], do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

from the preamble (introduction) to the U.S. Constitution

Documents, letters, diaries, and newspapers are just a few primary sources on display.

Not all primary sources are written down. Other types of primary sources includelms, audio recordings, photographs, artwork, and even everyday objects like toolsand toys. In fact, just about everything produced in an earlier time period can providea clever historian with clues about times long ago.

You might not realize it, but every day you produce primary sources. Your text messages,your Facebook posts, and even your homework reveal things about you. If you savedall of these, a future historian might study them to learn about your times.

Important primary sources that survive usually end up in an archive . An archive isa place where primary sources are collected and carefully stored. For example, theoriginal ofcial copy of the U.S. Constitution is housed in the National Archivesin Washington, D.C.

At archives, experts called archivists research the items in their collections. Bystudying and preserving primary sources, archivists ensure that future generationscan see and learn from them.

By studying primary sources, historians develop an understanding of the past. Theyoften write down their ideas about other time periods in history books and textbooks.These are examples of secondary sources .

If you want to learn about another time, it makes sense to look at both primary andsecondary sources. Each type serves a different purpose. In primary sources, peopleof another time period tell you about their lives in their own words or through theobjects they made. In this way, you can feel a connection to people of the past.You might even be able to imagine how you would feel in their place.

Know It!

Recent technologies have created new types of primary sources. In the future, e-mails,computer les, and digital photographs will be among the things historians look atto learn about how we lived.

Secondary sources, on the other hand, help you see the big picture. By telling youthe complete history of the time period, they can help you make sense of primarydocuments.