Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist

>>> t2  =   t[:]

>>> t2.sort()

>>> t

[3, 1,  2]

>>> t2

[1, 2,  3]

In this example you could also use the built-in function sorted, which returns a new,
sorted list and leaves the original alone:

>>> t2  =   sorted(t)

>>> t

[3, 1,  2]

>>> t2

[1, 2,  3]