Legal Definitions - Copyright Act of 1790

The Copyright Act of 1790 was the very first law enacted in the United States to protect the rights of authors and creators over their original works. This landmark legislation, passed shortly after the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granted creators exclusive rights to print, reprint, publish, and sell their maps, charts, and books. This initial protection lasted for a period of 14 years. Authors had the option to renew this copyright for an additional 14 years, provided they were still alive at the end of the first term. Once these protection periods expired, the work would then enter the public domain, meaning anyone could freely copy, distribute, or adapt it without needing permission or paying royalties.

• Example 1: A New Atlas

  Imagine a cartographer named Mr. Thompson in Philadelphia in 1795, who spent years meticulously drawing and compiling a comprehensive atlas of the newly formed United States. Upon its publication, the Copyright Act of 1790 would grant Mr. Thompson exclusive rights to his atlas for 14 years, until 1809. If he was still alive in 1809, he could apply to renew his copyright, extending his exclusive control over the atlas until 1823. After 1823, the atlas would enter the public domain, allowing other publishers to print and sell copies without needing his permission or paying him royalties.

• Example 2: A Collection of Patriotic Songs

  Consider a composer, Ms. Eleanor Vance, who published a collection of original patriotic songs and hymns in Boston in 1805. Under the provisions of the Copyright Act of 1790, Ms. Vance would hold the copyright to her sheet music for 14 years, until 1819. If she wished to continue protecting her work, she would need to apply for a renewal before 1819, which would extend her copyright until 1833. If she failed to renew, or if she passed away before the renewal period, her collection of songs would become part of the public domain, allowing any music publisher to reproduce and sell them freely.

• Example 3: A Historical Memoir

  In 1810, a retired statesman, Mr. Samuel Adams (a fictional contemporary, not the famous revolutionary), published his personal memoirs detailing his experiences during the American Revolution. The Copyright Act of 1790 would protect his memoirs for 14 years, until 1824. If Mr. Adams was still living in 1824, he could renew the copyright for another 14 years, extending his exclusive rights until 1838. However, if he passed away before 1824 or chose not to renew, his memoirs would enter the public domain, making them available for anyone to reprint, adapt, or use in new works without legal restriction.