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Grades K–2 · Societies

What does a postage stamp do on a letter?

A postage stamp is more than a small picture on an envelope. It is one way to show payment for a postal service. People buy stamps before using them on mail.

F029 visual explanationA stamp and an address do different jobs; POST; TO: RIVER ROAD; NORTH TOWN; destination; paymentA stamp and an address do different jobsPOSTTO: RIVER ROADNORTH TOWNdestinationpayment

In the diagramA stamp and an address do different jobsPOSTTO: RIVER ROADNORTH TOWNdestinationpayment

An invented envelope separates destination information from a postage-payment stamp and an example cancellation mark. No rate is supplied.

Postal workers and machines check the mailing and its postage as part of handling it. Marks put across a used stamp help show that it has already served for that journey.

The address tells the system where the letter should go; the stamp helps show payment. These are different kinds of information on the same envelope. A stamp cannot carry a letter without the people and equipment of the postal system.

About this explanation

Starting knowledge: Know that people pay for services and that a postal system carries letters.

Sources

  • United States Postal Service — What is Package Pickup? Methods to prepay postage
  • United States Postal Service — Postal Information and Resources: Postmarks and Postal Possession
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