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England’s Statute of Anne, considered the origin of modern
copyright, ended the private publishing monopoly of the
Stationers’ Company and gave authors/creators the exclusive
right to publish their works and profi t for 14 years, with a
renewal option of another 14 years. -
Copyright written into the United States Constitution in
Article 1, Section 8, “Congress shall have power…to promote
the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited
times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their
respective writings and discoveries.” -
Congress passes Copyright Act of 1790 under the new
U.S. Constitution. Authors of books, maps and charts were
granted exclusive rights for 14 years with an optional renewal
term of 14 years. -
Prints added to protected works.
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Copyright terms extended to 28 years with optional renewal of 14
years. -
Music added to works protected against unauthorized printing and
vending. -
added to protected works.
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Photographs added to protected works.
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Works of art added to protected works.
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The U.S. Copyright Act revised. Copyright terms extended
to 28 years with optional renewal of 28 years. Registration
required. -
Motion pictures, previously registered as photographs,
added to classes of protected works. -
Recording and performing rights extended to nondramatic
literary works. -
The Copyright Revision Act extended copyright terms
for works created on or after this date to life of the author and
50 years after the author’s death. Fair use and other exceptions
to exclusive copyrights are formalized. Registration no longer
required -
United States Congress passed the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992 (AHRA), which requires manufacturers or importers of blank CDs and personal audio devices, media centers, satellite radio devices, and car audio systems that have recording capabilities, to make royalty payments.
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The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act extended
the term of copyright protection for most works to the life of the
author plus 70 years. -
The Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act provided for the use of the copyrighted works by accredited nonprofit educational institutions in distance education.
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Family Entertainment and Copyright Act imposed criminal
penalties for distributing “pre-release” works
