The reason why presidents can't keep their White House records dates back to Nixon

President Richard Nixon speaks at the White House on Aug. 9, 1974. He was preparing to leave the day after resigning because of the Watergate scandal. Nixon wanted to take his presidential documents with him, including his infamous tape recordings. But he was barred from doing so, and Congress passed a law that now requires all presidents to hand over their documents to the National Archives. (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

For the first two centuries of U.S. history, outgoing presidents simply took their documents with them when they left the White House. The materials were considered their personal property.

But for the past four decades, every presidential document — from notebook doodles to top-secret security plans — is supposed to go directly to the National Archives as the material is considered the property of the American people.