American History

PJMcK

(22,942 posts) Mon Oct 5, 2020, 07:51 AM Oct 2020

A question about our Founding Documents

The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were all hand-written in ink on parchment. If you've ever seen them on display in Washington, D.C., you'll know how these documents are inspiring and beautiful.

So, here's my question: Why were they hand-written? Gutenberg had invented his moveable type printing press in the 1450s, some 300 years earlier. Why weren't our Founding Documents printed?

Thanks, in advance.

2 replies

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A question about our Founding Documents (Original Post) PJMcK Oct 2020 OP

Movable type took a huge amount of setup work. Statistical Oct 2020 #1

Good points PJMcK Oct 2020 #2

Statistical

(19,264 posts)

1. Movable type took a huge amount of setup work.

Reply to PJMcK (Original post)

Mon Oct 5, 2020, 07:54 AM

Oct 2020

If you were making hundreds or thousands of copies that upfront cost paid off. For the first of something it didn't. Printed copies of the founding documents were created using the text of the hand written originals.

It was the same thing with other stuff from the era. The manuscript for books were hand written and then that used to mass produce copies on the printing press. Same thing with newspaper articles.

PJMcK

(22,942 posts)

2. Good points

Reply to Statistical (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 5, 2020, 08:03 AM

Oct 2020

Thank you, Statsitical.

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