Copyright Act of 1831

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Copyright Act of 1831

Long title	An Act to Amend the Several Acts Respecting Copyrights
Effective	February 3, 1831
Citations
Statutes at Large	4 Stat. 436
Legislative history
Introduced in the House of Representatives as H.R. 145 by William W. Ellsworth (AJ–CT) on January 21, 1830 Committee consideration by House Judiciary Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee Passed the House on January 10, 1831 (81-31) Passed the Senate on January 29, 1831  Signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on February 3, 1831
United States Supreme Court cases
Wheaton v. Peters Backus v. Gould Stephens v. Cady Stevens v. Gladding Little v. Hall

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