Defining Documents

The National Archives in Washington D.C. is charged with preserving the nation's past. The documents letters films recordings and other artifacts it protects illustrate how we developed as a nation and a society. In 2002 the National Archives began working on "Our Documents" an initiative that brought together 100 artifacts-from 1776 to 1965-representing America's journey from it's founding through to the twentieth century. DEFINING DOCUMENTS highlights this extraordinary collection examining the events that prompted their writing and probing their importance with leading scholars. During this extraordinary program get a firsthand look at a newly discovered copy of the Bill of Rights and find out how the FBI helped to make sure it didn't disappear again. Survey the Supreme Court records of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case and hear the words John Glenn spoke to the Houston Command Center as he became the first American to orbit the Earth. From triumphant moments to national tragedies DEFINING DOCUMENTS offers a unique window into the past.