Isabella Carter
Cursive is a style of penmanship in which the symbols of the language are written in a conjoined, or flowing, manner. The United States Constitution was engrossed by Jacob Shallus, Assistant Clerk to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and written on four pieces of animal skin using iron gall ink and a quill. The document is written in Roundhand, a variant of English round-hand, and is considered a form of cursive.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Document | Historical |
| Language | English |
| Script | Cursive |
| Written by | Jacob Shallus |
| Medium | Parchment/Animal Skin |
| Ink | Iron Gall |
| Writing Instrument | Quill, likely goose |
| Writing Style | Roundhand |
| Location | Rotunda at the National Archives Museum, Washington D.C. |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution is written in Roundhand
Cursive is a style of penmanship where the letters of a word are written in a flowing manner, joined together to form a continuous word. This style of writing is distinct from print-script, where the letters of a word are unconnected. Cursive is generally faster to write than print-script as it involves fewer pen lifts.
The US Constitution is written in a form of cursive known as Roundhand, or English Round-hand. It was penned by Jacob Shallus, Assistant Clerk to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, using a quill and iron gall ink on four pieces of animal skin (parchment). The document is on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C.
Roundhand is characterised by its line variance, which would be difficult to achieve with most modern writing instruments. The quill used by Shallus had certain idiosyncrasies that are evident in the writing it produced. The Art of Writing (1813) by John Jenkins is a useful resource for those interested in learning more about early-American Roundhand.
While the US Constitution is written in a form of cursive, it is not representative of the standard cursive styles taught in schools. Modern cursive styles are designed to be written with contemporary writing instruments, such as fountain pens and ballpoint pens, which are less finicky than the quills used in the past.
In recent years, there has been a decline in the teaching of cursive in schools. This has been attributed to the increased use of technology for communication and feedback from teachers. However, some argue that the inability to read cursive precludes people from fully appreciating historical documents like the US Constitution in their original format.
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Jacob Shallus wrote the US Constitution
The US Constitution is written in a style of penmanship known as "cursive", where the symbols of the language are written in a conjoined, or flowing, manner. Cursive was used because it was faster than print-script, which uses block letters where the letters of a word are unconnected.
The original copy of the US Constitution was handwritten by Jacob Shallus, who was the Assistant Clerk to the Pennsylvania General Assembly at the time of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Shallus was born in 1750 and was 37 years old when he engrossed the Constitution. He was the son of German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania in 1749. Shallus was a merchant in Philadelphia and a gentleman by trade, but he also served in the army as a quartermaster in the First Pennsylvania Battalion during the Revolutionary War. He was a calligrapher and had experience engrossing official documents, which is why he was selected for the job.
Shallus was paid $30 (equivalent to US$749 in 2024) for his work on the Constitution. He engrossed the entire document, which consisted of 4,500 words across four sheets of parchment made from animal skin, probably using a goose quill and iron gall ink. The document was written in "Roundhand", a style of cursive writing. Shallus completed the engrossing in a single day, which was a remarkable feat, although he did make some mistakes in the process.
The handwritten document that Shallus engrossed is on display in the Rotunda of the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.
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Cursive is a style of penmanship where letters are joined
Cursive can be further divided into formal and casual styles. Formal cursive is generally joined, while casual cursive is a combination of joins and pen lifts. The cursive method is used with many alphabets, and in some, many or all letters in a word are connected, sometimes making a word one single complex stroke.
Cursive can also be categorized into looped, italic, or connected styles. In looped cursive, some ascenders and descenders have loops that allow for the letters to link. In italic cursive, not all letters are joined, and there are no joins from g, j, q, or y. Italic penmanship became popular in the 15th-century Italian Renaissance.
Cursive is used in many historical documents, including the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. The Constitution was written in "Roundhand", a variant of English round-hand, also known as "copperplate". While some argue that cursive is no longer necessary in the digital age, others believe that it is still beneficial, especially for students with dyslexia, as it integrates hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and memory functions.
The debate over teaching cursive in schools continues, with some states in the United States opting to include it in their curriculum. While digital transcripts and printed editions of these historical documents are available in block letters, the ability to read cursive allows for a full appreciation of the original format.
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Cursive was implemented in schools in the 1960s
Cursive, also known as joined-up writing, is a style of penmanship where letters are written in a flowing manner, usually to increase writing speed. It is distinct from print-script or block letters, where the letters of a word are unconnected.
Cursive was first introduced widely in schools in 1850, and by the mid-2010s, 46 states and the District of Columbia had adopted it in their curricula. However, in the 1960s, the implementation of cursive in schools was based on preference rather than educational value. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, argued that writing with straight lines is harder than writing with curved lines, and children would benefit from learning cursive first. Cursive can also help students with dyslexia, as it integrates hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and other brain and memory functions.
Despite the benefits, some critics argue that cursive is not worth teaching in schools. In 2012, Indiana and Hawaii announced that their schools would no longer be required to teach cursive, replacing it with keyboard proficiency. As of 2023, 24 states require some form of cursive instruction in schools, with Arizona being the most recent addition. However, the number of states mandating cursive instruction has been fluctuating over the years, with 14 states requiring it in 2016, 19 in 2018, and 21 in 2020.
The debate over whether to teach cursive or continuous cursive also exists. Continuous cursive is taught in many schools in the United Kingdom, but critics argue that it requires a high level of gross and fine motor coordination, making it challenging for some students.
Cursive has been used in many historical documents, including the United States Constitution, which was written in Roundhand or English round-hand, a variant of which is known as "copperplate."
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Cursive is not a part of Common Core State Standards
Cursive, also known as joined-up writing, is a style of penmanship in which the symbols of the language are written in a conjoined, or flowing, manner. The cursive method is used with many alphabets due to infrequent pen lifting, which allows for increased writing speed. Cursive writing is distinct from "print-script" using block letters, in which the letters of a word are unconnected.
In 2010, the U.S. government officially removed cursive from the required Common Core Standards for K-12 education. This decision was based on the fact that cursive writing takes an enormous amount of instructional time, and with laptops and tablets replacing paper, the need to learn to keyboard has become more important. However, this decision has been criticized by some, who argue that students need to learn cursive to be able to read historical documents, such as the U.S. Constitution, and understand their origins and meanings.
Proponents of teaching cursive say that students who can't read cursive will be unable to read historical documents in their original format, as well as personal documents from previous generations, such as letters and diaries. They argue that this disconnects us from the past and limits our power and understanding of how the world works. Additionally, research has shown benefits for teaching and practicing handwriting in general, as it helps students get their ideas on paper more easily and improves fine motor skills.
However, the writers of the Common Core Standards felt that teaching cursive was not a place where teachers should spend a lot of time and energy. They pointed out that the K-5 language standards already require students to print all upper- and lowercase letters, so handwriting is not completely left out of the curriculum. States also have the ability to add standards, and many have chosen to include cursive instruction. For example, Louisiana has mandated that students receive instruction in cursive every year from the 3rd through 12th grades.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the US Constitution is written in a style of penmanship known as "Roundhand" or "English round-hand", which is a form of cursive.
Cursive was used to make writing faster as it involves joining letters in a flowing manner.
Schools in the United States are not required to teach cursive writing. However, some states have continued to teach it and others are considering making it mandatory.
