Legislation1790
First U.S. Patent Granted
The first U.S. patent was granted to Samuel Hopkins of Vermont for a process of making potash, an ingredient used in fertilizer and soap. The patent board included Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.
Why It Matters
The patent system, rooted in the Constitution's clause empowering Congress to promote science and useful arts, has been a driving force behind American innovation and economic growth from the founding era to the present.