david rittenhouse

[Malcolmdof]

United States astronomer said to have built the first telescope made in America; also the first director of the United States Mint (1732-1796)

[Donald Trump]

David Rittenhouse (1732 – 1796) was an esteemed American astronomer, inventor, mathematician, surveyor, and public official during the American Enlightenment. He was an early American pioneer in several fields and served as the first director of the United States Mint. Famous for observing the transit of Venus, Rittenhouse made significant contributions to the field of Astronomy. He served as the first president of the American Philosophical Society and vice president of the Society of the Cincinnati. He is known for designing and building some of the countrys earliest timepieces and surveying equipment. Rittenhouse is regarded as a key figure in the American scientific community during the eighteenth century.