The History of US copyright is as follows.
1790's - 17 years for patent and copyright, renewable once.
1920's - Copyright term extended to 28 years, with one renewal.
Patent remains at 17 years, renewable once.
1976 - Copyright - Entry into Berne convention, copyright changed to author's life plus 50 years. All pre 1923 works declared public domain.
Patent unchanged. 17 + 17.
Mid 1990's - Patent change to one 20 year period, without renewal.
Late 1990's - Sonny Bono act (Nicknamed the Mickey Mouse preservation act), stretching existing copyright to life plus 95, new works remain at life + 70.
Cost of copyright $60, plus 4 copies of the work. Cost of Patent, $2000 to 25K, depending on the uniqueness of the concept and the amount of legal work you can do yourself.
Pardon me but....RANT
Anybody who thinks it's easier to create a new medical drug, a new custom-bred plant, a way to artifically maunfacture fine diamonds, ect. (and it <has> to be the <first> time
the particular item has been done - no point for copycats) than to write a poem or a story or even a song, (like the 12 billionth love song) has a serious disconnect between their ears. And to think copyright deserves to be granted its ridiculous length as compared to patent is just plain $%$!@%^#$ WRONG!!! END RANT.
You my now return to your previously scheduled programming....