Database: A revolutionary scientist

An inventor, a mathematician, and an astronomer, David Rittenhouse was definitely one of the most prolific scientists of the American colonies. Rittenhouse was especially famous for his amazing self-made instruments including two orreries, mechanical models of the solar system. He also built his own observatory and his work was crucial to establishing boundaries between the colonies. During the Revolution, he served as a military engineer, supervising weapons production and gunpowder storage. He later was the first director of the US Mint.