10h 38min, dec 31, 1789 y - George Washington signs first U.S Patent on July 31, 1790. President George Washington signed the first U.S. Patent on July 31, 1790. The first patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins for a process of making potash, an ingredient used in fertilizer. From the 1940s to today, the U.S. Department of Energy holds more than 34,000 patents.
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10h 38min, dec 31, 1789 y
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~ 235 years ago