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Indeed, it is not easy to name what did originate in America.  Not democracy.  Virtually none of the great physicists, mathematicians, composers, writers, or other great thinkers came from America.  What, if anything, is so special about America in its place in the world?

Indeed, it is not easy to name what did originate in America.  Not democracy.  Virtually none of the great physicists, mathematicians, composers, writers, or other great thinkers came from America.  What, if anything, is so special about America in its place in the world?

In two words, "Yankee ingenuity."  Virtually all great inventions since about 1776 came from America, and these creations of man have brought the world a wealth beyond all imagination.  America creates, and the rest of the world copies.  And neither the rest of the world or even American history books give full create to Yankee ingenuity.  The Encyclopedia Britannica, which is the leading encyclopedia, listed the greatest inventions in the history of the world along with the country of the invention, and by far the highest percentage are attributed to the United States.  The relatively few that are attributed to other countries are often silly, or predate 1788, when the U.S. Constitution was ratified.<ref>http://corporate.britannica.com/press/inventions.html</ref>  For example, the Encyclopedia Britannica lists 29 inventions for the United Kingdom, but that includes useless and even harmful creations like cloning, as well as other inventions that predate the United States such as carbonated soft drinks (which is also not particularly productive).  The United States, meanwhile, is credited with 170 inventions, which is over 5 times as many creations than Great Britain even though most Americans were descended from the British and did not have as much wealth or advantage as the mother country for most of America's history.  All other countries are even further behind America in inventions.

In two words, "Yankee ingenuity."  Virtually all great inventions since about 1776 came from America, and these creations of man have brought the world a wealth beyond all imagination.  America creates, and the rest of the world copies.  And neither the rest of the world nor American history books give full create to Yankee ingenuity.  The Encyclopedia Britannica, which is the leading encyclopedia, listed the greatest inventions in the history of the world along with the country of the invention, and by far the highest percentage are attributed to the United States.  The relatively few that are attributed to other countries are often silly, or predate 1788, when the U.S. Constitution was ratified.<ref>http://corporate.britannica.com/press/inventions.html</ref>  For example, the Encyclopedia Britannica lists 29 inventions for the United Kingdom, but that includes useless and even harmful creations like cloning, as well as other inventions that predate the United States such as carbonated soft drinks (which are also not particularly productive).  The United States, meanwhile, is credited with 170 inventions, which is over 5 times as many creations than Great Britain even though most Americans were descended from the British and did not have as much wealth or advantage as the mother country for most of America's history.  All other countries are even further behind America in inventions.

The American invention of the cotton gin in 1792 illustrates how inventions create wealth.  Previously it required many men (often slaves) and backbreaking labor to separate cotton and cotton seeds from each other.  But the U.S. Constitution has a unique clause that authorizes Congress to grant ownership of inventions to the inventors for a period of time:<ref>Art. I, Sec. 8,  http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8</ref>

The American invention of the cotton gin in 1792 illustrates how inventions create wealth.  Previously, the separation of cotton from cotton seeds required many men (often slaves) and backbreaking labor.  But the U.S. Constitution has a unique clause that authorizes Congress to grant ownership of inventions to the inventors for a period of time:<ref>Art. I, Sec. 8,  http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8</ref>

:To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries

:To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries