Every easter, humans everywhere in the world unknowingly pay homage to the primary girl to achieve a u.S. Patent, mary dixon kies.
Earlier than the passage of the married women’s assets acts.
Notwithstanding these sexist realities, in 1809, ms. Kies have become the first american woman to obtain a patent in her call.
Her patent describes about .5% of the 203 general patents issued that 12 months.
Of the 681,000 u.S. Patents granted from 1800 – 1899, ladies were named on about 4,000, or .587%.
To put ms. Kies’ accomplishment in its proper context, by way of 1840, best 20 u.S. Patents have been issued to girls.
Maximum nineteenth century female inventors patented their technology after the civil warfare ended in 1865.
Lamentably, the precise nature of ms. Kies patent is unknown due to the fact her submitting become destroyed inside the patent office fireplace of 1836.
Professor autumn stanley believes it changed into a gadget patent which automated the guide techniques of weaving straw with silk that formerly enabled ladies to make hats of their homes.
Different historians trust it may have been an improvement on present manual techniques.
Whatever the specifics, absolute confidence exists as to the patent’s significance. As evidence through a letter of lodging from dolly madison, wife of president james madison. Ms. Madison’s letter applauded ms. Kies for the effect she had on new england’s struggling financial system.
Ms. Kies’ timing changed into fortuitous, because the napoleonic wars. Which spawned the embargo act of 1807, effectively eliminated imports from europe.
This void for elegant hats was filled by the commercialization of ms. Kies’ generation, which become followed all through new england.