fyeahcopyright:

From the Mount Vernon website: 

On May 31, 1790, President Washington signed the Copyright Act of 1790 into law. Formally titled, “An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned,” the legislation was the first law protecting copyright in the United States. The act explained that it intended to protect “the author and authors of any map, chart, book or books already printed within these United States,” and that authors would “have the sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending such map, chart, book or books.” Copies of the law bearing Washington’s signature were re-printed in newspapers throughout the country.

The term of copyright in 1790 was fourteen years but it could be renewed for an additional fourteen years upon request/fee payment. 

Can you imagine a world where everything created, filmed, written and drawn before 1988 was in the public domain? 

It’s almost unimaginable - but someone could try to write a story about it. ;)

Ah well, at least we have fair use.