The US Constitution, signed in 1787, established the legal framework for the American republic and included in Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 a provision empowering Congress to promote the progress of science and useful arts through patent and copyright protection. The hosts note this makes the word science part of the constitution itself, marking it as a foundational document for American scientific development.
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3:35>> Fast forwarding 1787, the signing of the United States Constitution. >> Yes. This is, I think, the real genesis of America. 1776. and we were like, I I don't want to be British anymore. And 1787 is when we sort of described what our government should look like and what the legal framework is for the American republic. Um, crucially, this document in article 1, section 8, clause 8, it does say that it in it empowers Congress to promote the progress of science and the useful arts through patent and copyright protection. So the word science is in our constitution.
4:16>> Very big deal, >> right? >> Yeah. An important foundational document. We now move to 1790. The patent act of 1790. Yeah. This is pretty big deal because this established the first US patent board and the legal framework for protecting inventions. Um