No the Spectrum series was a UK invention by Clive Sinclair (he of the C5 fame).

He started with calculators but the first one I had was the ZX81 which came out in 1981 (I still have it as well!) and then the Spectrum 48k and 128k (those too sadly enough although all lurk in the loft). The ZX Spectrum series was a rival to the Commodore 64 and had classic games like Manic Miner and Underwurlde which were loaded in through a tape recorder. They did some pretty impressive stuff for the time. Not sure if they sold them in the USA.

You can get a Speccy emulator for the PC but I never have- not sure if I want my nostalgic illusions shattered!

Scary facts and pictures of the little wonders at;

https://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/contents.htm