Because of the Napoleonic Wars, the United States had embargoed all trade with France and Great Britain, creating a need for American-made hats to replace European millinery.
[11] The straw-weaving industry filled the gap, with over $500,000 ($4.7 million in today's money) worth of straw bonnets produced in Massachusetts alone in 1810.
[17] Even though Mary Kies invention itself did not have a lasting impact, her legacy is one that opened doors for future generations of female inventors and deserves to be recognized.
The group took to honoring her with a new headstone in Old South Killingly cemetery as the first woman in the United States to apply for and receive a patent.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame praises her for her process for weaving straw with silk or thread and for being the first woman to apply for and receive a patent, specifically in her own name.
This number has steadily grown since 1840 when there were approximately 20 U.S. patents issued to women for inventions that were mostly related to cooking, tools, and clothing.
[19] In 1802, the first official U.S. Patent Office was established, making Mary Kies invention especially timely, as the United States was attempting to maintain neutrality and had stopped importing European goods.
This is believed to be the reason for Madison's letter, as Kies invention contributed to both the hat industry and benefitted the United States government.