Benjamin Banneker was born on a small tobacco farm near Baltimore, Maryland. He was educated briefly in a nearby school but taught himself literature, history, science, and mathematics. As an adult, Banneker worked primarily as a farmer, but he devoted his spare time to scientific study. As he got older, Banneker concentrated more on research. In 1789 he began calculating tables to show the positions of the moon, planets, and stars throughout the year. The following year he was hired by Thomas Jefferson to assist surveyors in laying out the new District of Columbia. In 1791 he began to compile his astronomical and tide calculations into an almanac, which he published over a 10-year period from 1791 to 1802.
