David Rittenhouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Rittenhouse
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A 1796 portrait of Rittenhouse
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| Born | April 8, 1732 |
| Died | June 26, 1796 (aged 64) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Resting place | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Astronomer Inventor Mathematician |
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David Rittenhouse (born April 8, 1732 – died June 26, 1796) was a brilliant American astronomer, inventor, and mathematician. He was also a skilled clockmaker, surveyor, and craftsman who made scientific tools. Rittenhouse was an important public official and a member of the American Philosophical Society. He also became the very first director of the United States Mint.
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David Rittenhouse's Early Life and Learning
David Rittenhouse was born on April 8, 1732. His birthplace was a small area called Rittenhousetown, near Germantown in Pennsylvania. His family had moved to Pennsylvania from Germany in 1688.
When David was young, his uncle passed away. David inherited his uncle's carpentry tools and many interesting books. Even as a child, David showed how smart he was. He built a working model of his great-grandfather's paper mill. He also made other models, like a waterwheel that really worked!
David never went to elementary school. He taught himself everything by reading his family's books. This is called being self-taught. He was very good at science and math. By the time David was 13, he had already mastered Isaac Newton's important ideas about motion and gravity.
David Rittenhouse's Amazing Career
When David was about 17 years old, he built a clock using wooden gears. This showed his amazing talent for mechanics.
At 19, he opened a shop on his father's farm. Here, he made scientific instruments. This farm is now the location of the Valley Forge Medical Center and Hospital in Pennsylvania.
David was especially skilled at making clocks and other devices. He built two special models of our Solar System called orreries. One was for Princeton University, and the other for the University of Pennsylvania. These models showed how the planets move around the Sun.
His friend, Reverend William Smith, encouraged him to build the second orrery for Philadelphia. Philadelphia wanted to be a major center for science and learning. Both of these original orreries are still around today. You can find one at the University of Pennsylvania and the other at Princeton University.
Joining Clubs and Societies
Astronomers wanted to study the planet Venus more closely. They chose Rittenhouse to observe a special event in 1769. This event was called the transit of Venus. It's when Venus passes directly in front of the Sun. Rittenhouse was perfect for this job because he had his own observatory. He even made his own telescope!
His telescope was very advanced for its time. It used special features similar to some modern telescopes. Rittenhouse was also a member of the American Astronomical Society. Throughout his life, he joined many important clubs and committees.
In 1768, Rittenhouse became a member of the American Philosophical Society. He later became its president after Benjamin Franklin passed away in 1790. He was also elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1782.
Rittenhouse was even a member of the Royal Society of London. This was a very special honor for an American at that time.
In 1786, Rittenhouse built a new house in Philadelphia. Next to it, he had an octagonal (eight-sided) observatory. He hosted weekly meetings there with famous people like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson once said he would rather attend one of these meetings than spend a whole week in Paris!
David Rittenhouse's Family Life
David Rittenhouse was married twice. He first married Eleanor Coulston in 1766. They had two daughters named Elizabeth and Ester. Eleanor passed away in 1771.
David then married Hannah Jacobs in 1772. Hannah lived longer than David, passing away in 1799. David's grandson, Ester's son, was named David Rittenhouse Waters.
Important Contributions to the United States
David Rittenhouse made many important contributions to the United States. Early in his career, he worked as a surveyor. Surveyors measure and map land.
From 1763 to 1764, he surveyed the border between Delaware and Pennsylvania. His work was incredibly accurate. It was so good that it was used without any changes by other famous surveyors, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon.
Rittenhouse also helped set the boundaries for other states. These included the borders between New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. In 1784, he and Andrew Ellicott finished surveying the famous Mason–Dixon line. This line helped define the borders of several states. After his surveying work, Rittenhouse went back to his scientific interests.
Observing the Transit of Venus
In 1768, Rittenhouse announced plans to watch the transit of Venus across the Sun. This is a rare event where Venus appears as a small black dot moving across the Sun's face. The American Philosophical Society helped by getting money for new telescopes. Many volunteers helped staff the observation stations.
The transit of Venus happened on June 3, 1769. Rittenhouse was incredibly excited to see this event. He had prepared for a whole year! During the observation, he was so overwhelmed that he briefly fainted. He had also been feeling unwell the week before. After a few minutes, he woke up and continued his important observations. His detailed report of the transit was published. It did not mention his fainting, but it was very precise.
Rittenhouse used his observations to calculate the distance from Earth to the Sun. He found it to be about 93 million miles. This is very close to the actual average distance! European scientists praised his report. Rittenhouse then corresponded with other famous astronomers of his time.
Building the Orrery Model
In 1770, Rittenhouse finished building a very advanced orrery. This was a mechanical model that showed how the planets in our Solar System move. Because of this amazing achievement, Princeton University gave him an honorary degree. The college then bought this orrery.
Rittenhouse later made an even more advanced model that stayed in Philadelphia. The State of Pennsylvania paid him £300 to honor his work. One of his helpers on this project was Henry Voigt. Voigt later became the Chief Coiner at the Mint under Rittenhouse.
Leading the United States Mint
David Rittenhouse served as the treasurer of Pennsylvania from 1777 to 1789. With his skills and the support of George Washington, he became the first director of the United States Mint.
The United States Mint opened on April 2, 1792. It took almost four months to produce the first coins. Rittenhouse believed that the design of a country's coins showed its sophistication. On July 30, 1792, George Washington provided some silver flatware. Rittenhouse personally struck the first coins by hand to test the new equipment. These coins were given to Washington as a thank you for his help in creating the Mint. Large-scale coin production began in 1793. Rittenhouse resigned from the Mint in 1795 due to poor health. In 1871, Congress approved a special medal in his honor.
Other Cool Discoveries
In 1781, Rittenhouse became the first American to see the planet Uranus through a telescope.
In 1785, he created what might have been the first diffraction grating. He used 50 hairs placed between two finely threaded screws. This created tiny lines, about 100 lines per inch. This technique was similar to what Joseph von Fraunhofer used much later in 1821.
Key Moments in David Rittenhouse's Life
Here are some other important events in David Rittenhouse's life:
- 1763–1764: He worked on surveying the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland.
- 1767: He received an honorary master's degree from the College of Philadelphia.
- 1768: He made observations that helped understand the atmosphere of Venus.
- 1769: He successfully observed the transit of Venus.
- 1770: He moved to Philadelphia.
- 1775: He became an engineer for the Committee of Safety.
- 1779–1782: He was a Professor of Astronomy at the University of the State of Pennsylvania.
- 1779–1787: He served as the Treasurer of Pennsylvania.
- 1784: He completed the survey of the Mason–Dixon line.
- 1791–1796: He was the President of the American Philosophical Society.
- 1792–1795: He served as the first Director of the United States Mint.
- 1793: He helped found the Democratic-Republican Societies in Philadelphia.
Honoring David Rittenhouse
Many things have been named after David Rittenhouse to remember his contributions:
- Rittenhouse Crater is a crater on the Moon named in his honor.
- Rittenhouse Square is a famous park in the center of Philadelphia. It was renamed for him in 1825.
- The University of Pennsylvania has its Physics and Mathematics departments in the David Rittenhouse Laboratory.
- David Rittenhouse Junior High School in Norristown, Pennsylvania, is also named after him.
- His nephew, William Barton, wrote a book about his life called Memoirs of the life of David Rittenhouse.
See also
In Spanish: David Rittenhouse para niños
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