Is the U.S. Constitution in D.C. just a duplicate and not the original? I was told it isn't.?

Question

I have been told by 5 of my history teachers when i went to school in Philadelphia and also by members of the U.S. Historical Society that the U.S. Constitution in D.C. along with the Bill of Rights are just duplicates. The originals never left Philadelphia and are kept in an archive away from public display.

I haven't seen documentation on this, but if anyone can provide this it will be appreciated.

Answer 1

They are genuine Copies of both. There is no "original".

There were many copies of each one made, presumably atleast 13 (one for each new state, the reps got them).

They are all originals as they were all printed together and all were hand signed by the signers.

so, yes they are copies, but that is because the original of each was never signed as it was a hand written document containing notes, words crossed out etc.

Answer 2

All three of the great democratic founding documents (That is the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights) are housed in the National Records Building, in the District of Columbia. Sadly the Declaration of Independence is not in as best shape as it could be, for its first 100 years of existence it was rolled up and rolled out numerous times, carted around, and finally hung in a room across from a bright window. It was not until the centennial that it finally got the physical respect that its words still get today.

Answer 3

i have the understanding that the documents in the national archives are the genuine copies

Answer 4

the original is only displayed a few minutes several a day, what most people see is a copy!