Final answer:
Benjamin Day was the first known American to use illustrations in newspaper ads with the founding of The Sun in 1833.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first known American to use illustrations in newspaper ads was Benjamin Day. In 1833, he founded the first U.S. penny press called The Sun, which was published in New York. The Sun used technology like the linotype machine to mass-produce papers, and it featured illustrations, such as the front page from November 26, 1834, shown above.