diff --git a/docs/api/baggage.rst b/docs/api/baggage.rst
index 34712e78bd..9a5f0b5717 100644
--- a/docs/api/baggage.rst
+++ b/docs/api/baggage.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,61 @@
 opentelemetry.baggage package
 ========================================
 
+The baggage API stores name/value pairs inside an OpenTelemetry
+``Context``. The helper functions in :mod:`opentelemetry.baggage`
+return updated context objects; they do not mutate the current context
+in place.
+
+This distinction matters when reading baggage with
+``baggage.get_all()``:
+
+* ``baggage.get_all()`` reads from the current context.
+* ``baggage.get_all(context=ctx)`` reads from the explicit context you
+  pass in.
+* ``baggage.set_baggage(...)`` returns a new context containing the
+  baggage entry, but that returned context is not made current unless
+  you explicitly attach it.
+
+Example:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from opentelemetry import baggage, context
+
+   ctx = baggage.set_baggage("foo", "bar")
+
+   print(baggage.get_all())
+   # {}
+
+   print(baggage.get_all(context=ctx))
+   # {'foo': 'bar'}
+
+To make a context returned by ``set_baggage`` become the current
+context, attach it and later detach it with the value that ``attach``
+returns:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from opentelemetry import baggage, context
+
+   ctx = baggage.set_baggage("foo", "bar")
+   token = context.attach(ctx)
+   try:
+       print(baggage.get_all())
+       # {'foo': 'bar'}
+   finally:
+       context.detach(token)
+
+Always pair ``context.attach`` with ``context.detach``. Dropping the
+token can leak baggage into later work on the same execution unit.
+
+Passing ``context=...`` to another API is also different from attaching
+that context. For example, ``tracer.start_as_current_span(...,
+context=ctx)`` uses ``ctx`` as the parent span context, but does not by
+itself make ``ctx`` the current execution context for subsequent calls
+to ``baggage.get_all()``. If you want both behaviors, attach the context
+before entering the span scope.
+
 Subpackages
 -----------
 
diff --git a/docs/api/context.rst b/docs/api/context.rst
index 7aef5ffe7d..d9cb065eb9 100644
--- a/docs/api/context.rst
+++ b/docs/api/context.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,37 @@
 opentelemetry.context package
 =============================
 
+OpenTelemetry context values are immutable snapshots. Functions such as
+``set_value`` and baggage helpers return a new ``Context`` object rather
+than mutating the current one.
+
+There are two common ways to use a context:
+
+* Pass it explicitly to APIs that accept a ``context=...`` parameter.
+* Attach it with ``context.attach`` so it becomes the current context
+  for the current execution unit, then restore the previous current
+  context with ``context.detach``.
+
+Example:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from opentelemetry import context
+
+   ctx = context.set_value("key", "value")
+
+   print(context.get_current().get("key"))
+   # None
+
+   token = context.attach(ctx)
+   try:
+       print(context.get_current().get("key"))
+       # value
+   finally:
+       context.detach(token)
+
+This is the same model used by :mod:`opentelemetry.baggage`.
+
 Submodules
 ----------
 
@@ -12,3 +43,4 @@ Module contents
 ---------------
 
 .. automodule:: opentelemetry.context
+