It's important to note that this is the first US patent. Technically Patent No. 1 is the Locomotive Steam Engine[1]. The US Patent Office burned down in 1836[2] and patents were renumbered from that point on. All previous patents are now listed as X-Patents[3].
> Whereas Samuel Hopkins of the City of Philadelphia and State of Pensylvania hath discovered an Improvement, not known or used before, such Discovery, in the making of Pot ash and Pearl ash by a new Apparatus and Proceſs; that is to say, in the making of Pearl ash 1st. by burning the raw Ashes in a Furnace, 2d. by disſolving and boiling them when so burnt in Water, 3rd. by drawing off and settling the Ley, and 4th. by boiling the Ley into Salts which then are the true Pearl ash; and also in the making of Pot ash by fluxing the Pearl ash so made as aforesaid; which Operation of burning the raw Ashes in a Furnace, preparatory to their Diſsolution and boiling in Water, is new, leaves little Residuum; and produces a much greater Quantity of Salt: These are therefore in pursuance of the Act, entituled “An Act to promote the Progreſs of useful Arts”, to grant to the said Samuel Hopkins, his Heirs, Administrators and Aſsigns, for the Term of fourteen Years, the sole and exclusive Right and Liberty of using, and vending to others the said Discovery, of burning the raw Ashes previous to their being diſsolved and boiled in Water, according to the true Intent and Meaning, of the Act aforesaid. In Testimony whereof I have caused these Letters to be made patent, and the Seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed. Given under my Hand at the City of New York this thirty first Day of July in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & Ninety.
Yup, but I have Dyslexia so I'm used to the transposition of the 2nd and 3rd character happening once in a while. I tend to "look away" and look back and usually can see the right thing. It's very frustrating when you get tired and are writing code, and staring at random symbols that literally don't mean anything now....
Off topic but what would be the downside of having no patents in today’s world? I actually think it would drastically accelerate the pace of innovations.
The purpose of patent is to encourage innovation. If companies/individuals didn't have protection for their invention, why would they invest into R&D if their competitors could steal their idea/process?
It provides a middle-ground - the inventor has exclusive rights to the invention for a portion of time (20 years), where they can reap the benefits of the patent. Once it expires, anyone can use it.
I don’t think patents encourage innovation at all in today’s world (and for that matter it’s questionable if they ever did). The main driver behind innovation is rarely monetary.
1 - https://patents.google.com/patent/US1
2 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1836_U.S._Patent_Office_fire
3 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Patent