Copyright Act of 1831

Copyright Act of 1831
Great Seal of the United States
Long titleAn Act to Amend the Several Acts Respecting Copyrights
EffectiveFebruary 3, 1831
Citations
Statutes at Large4 Stat. 436
Legislative history
United States Supreme Court cases

The Copyright Act of 1831[1] was the first major revision to the U.S. Copyright Law. The bill is largely the result of lobbying efforts by American lexicographer Noah Webster.

The key changes in the Act included:

  • Extension of the original copyright term from 14 years to 28 years, with an option to renew the copyright for another 14 years
  • Addition of musical compositions to the list of statutorily protected works (though this protection only extended to reproductions of compositions in printed form; the public performance right was not recognized until later)
  • Extension of the statute of limitations on copyright actions from one year to two
  • Changes in copyright formality requirements
Noah Webster, most widely known for his dictionary, lobbied to amend the Copyright Act
  1. ^ "Copyright Act, Washington D.C. (1831)" (PDF).