This paper is an analysis of the history of Copyright policy and its impact on society. This 41 page research paper traces the trends in intellectual property law over the last 300 years and examines the direction this area of public policy is taking. This paper also addresses recent issues such as the sharing of music, the webcasting debate, and the protection of databases. Read this paper to find out how intellectual property law affects and shapes the course of society and how recent trends may lead to the end of the information age.