DOJ Drama, Prediction Markets, and the Limits of Congressional Power
This Day in Legal History: America’s First Patent
On July 31, 1790, the United States issued its first patent under the newly enacted Patent Act of 1790. The patent was granted to Samuel Hopkins of Vermont for an improved method of producing potash and pearl ash, chemicals widely used in fertilizer, soapmaking, and glass production. President George Washington, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph personally signed the patent—a reminder that, in the nation’s earliest years, the federal government itself directly evaluated patent applications.
The Patent…
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