"Copyright" refers to laws created by a country that grants creators of original works exclusive rights over how a work is used and distributed for a certain period of time. Copyright laws can differ by country, as there is no universal copyright law but this guide will focus on U.S. law and regulations.
These rights usually cover attribution, reproduction, distribution, public performance, and derivative works, hence "All Rights Reserved."
The original purpose of copyright laws in the United States was to encourage creative and artistic endeavors by granting creators rights that would allow them to profit commercially off their creative works for a set amount of time, after which the works copyright would expire along with the creators rights to that work. Currently in the U.S. all "fixed works" (meaning it has been published or recorded, and is not just a thought or idea) are automatically copyrighted, but filing with the U.S. Copyright Office, which is under the Library of Congress, will make it easier to defend one's copyright in court.
Though copyright terms in the U.S. have changed over the years, a general rule of thumb for current copyright terms is the authors life plus 70 years (after their death).
Anything in "fixed" form including
Works not in a "fixed" form cannot be copyrighted such as
Works that are not deemed sufficiently original or creative such as
Works that are covered by trademark law such as
Works that are covered by patent law such as
The copyright holder has the exclusive rights to
Yes, copyrighted materials can be used through licensing or Fair Use