Hiding The Constitution, Declaration Of Independence During World War II

As Americans were reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, four boxes, meticulously packaged and inventoried, left Washington, D.C., on a train with two Secret Service agents heading West.

Inside, were the founding documents of the United States of America.

These documents were so precious, President Franklin Roosevelt wanted to guarantee their preservation in the event that Axis powers bombed Washington. A new book chronicles the history and their journey.

Stephen Puleo will be speaking about "American Treasures" at the Boston Public Library on February 1.

Stephen Puleo, author of “American Treasures: The Secret Efforts to Save the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address.” He tweets @spuleoauthor.