The postage stamp dates back to before The United States even gained its independence. Invented in England and used throughout the English empire the postage stamp become commonplace throughout the US as the English used it to communicate across the country by rail as well as back to England itself by ship. Before the use of postage stamps the mail had to be paid for on arrival to its destination. This often caused payment issues if the receiving party didn’t want or could not afford the package. When the United States gained its independence on July 4th, 1776 they threw out the English but decided to keep their postage system. The Founding Fathers appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General and it was his role to form and create the new system to be used throughout the country.