Our First President:

So, who was the first president of the United States? Was it George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or John Hanson? In this lesson you will learn more about John Hanson.

So, who was the first president of the United States? Was it George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or John Hanson? In this lesson you will learn more about John Hanson.

President

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Many people believe George Washington was the first of the United States of America. However, In 1787 John Hanson was elected to President in 1781. Was John Hanson the first President of the United States?

John Hanson – Political Offices

– Maryland State House of Delegates – Maryland State Senate (1757 - 1773) – Delegate to the General Congress at

Annapolis (1774) – Treasurer of Frederick County, Maryland

(1775) – Member of Maryland Convention (1775) – Member of the Continental Congress (1780 -

1782)

Our First Constitution

• The Articles of Confederation was the first governing document of the United States of America.

• The Articles of Confederation state that “The United States in Congress assembled shall have authority to appoint a committee, to sit in the recess of Congress, to be denominated “a Committee of the States,” and to consist of one delegate from each State; and to appoint such other committees and civil officers as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States under their direction — to appoint one of their number to preside, provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year in any term of three years;

Please note information in red.

The second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union on November 15, 1777. However, three-and-a-half years passed before ratification on March 1, 1781 of The Articles of Confederation.

Hanson was a signer of the Articles of Confederation. Once the signing of the Articles of Confederation took place in 1781, a President was needed to run the country. John Hanson was chosen unanimously by Congress (which included George Washington).

If it took three years to adopt the Articles of Confederation, who was the president of the Continental Congress during the ratification process?

President of the United States in Congress Assembled was the title given to the presiding member of the Continental Congress after the adoption of the Articles of Confederation.

The President of the Continental Congress was the leader of the Continental Congress elected by the delegates to the congress.

On 9 Jul 1781, the Congress elected delegate from North Carolina Samuel Johnston president of the Congress, but he declined nomination (10 Jul 1781) and McKean was elected in his place.

The Congress affirmed on September 28, 1780 that Huntington should continue in office since "no rule or practice of the house limits the term for which the President is elected," but resolved that in the future "the continuance of the President in office shall not be longer than one year" according to the Articles of Confederation, which went into effect on March 1, 1781. On May 8,1781 Huntington requested a leave of absence from Congress.

http://lego70.tripod.com/us/hanson.htm

Presidents of the Continental Congress

• Peyton Randolph (September 5, 1774 - October 21, 1774) • Henry Middleton (October 22, 1774 - May 10, 1775) • Peyton Randolph (May 10, 1775 - May 23, 1775) • John Hancock (May 24, 1775 - October 30, 1777) • Henry Laurens (November 1, 1777 - December 9, 1778) • John Jay (December 10, 1778 - September 27, 1779) • Samuel Huntington (September 28, 1779 - February 28, 1781)

• The First Continental Congress lasted only from September 5, 1774, to October 26, 1774, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

President of the United States in Congress Assembled

• Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781 - July 6, 1781) • Thomas McKean (July 10, 1781 to November 4, 1781) • John Hanson (November 5, 1781 to November 4, 1782) • Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 to November 3, 1783) • Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 to June 3, 1784) • Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 to November 23, 1785) • John Hancock (November 23, 1785 to June 6, 1786) • Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 to November 13, 1786) • Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 to October 29, 1787) • Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 to March 4, 1789)

• The Second Continental Congress ran from May 10, 1775, to March 2, 1789, but met in different places at different times.

If John Hanson was the first President of the United States Assembly, who served the role of President from March 1, 1781 to November 5, 1781?

Letter of President Huntington• Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 17 March 1, 1781 - August 31, 1781

Samuel Huntington to Thomas Jefferson •

Sir, Philadelphia March 4. 1781 Your Excellency will be informed by the enclosed Act of the third Instant of the Measures Congress have adopted for the Removal of the Convention Troops into the State of Pennsylvania.(1) The like Information is transmitted to Governor Lee, & the President of Pennsylvania. I have also informed Governor Lee, that should your Excellency find it necessary to order the Prisoners taken at the Cowpens to move Northward through Virginia, as intimated in your late Advice to me, He (Governor Lee) must consider them as included with the other Prisoners and give Orders accordingly. It is necessary that the Executive of Maryland, or the Commanding Officer have seasonable Notice that they may be prepared to receive the Prisoners when they arrive on the Borders of Maryland.

I have the Honor to be, with very great Respect, your Excellency's most obedient & most humble Servant, Sam Huntington PresidentRC (Vi: Continental Congress Papers). In a clerical hand and signed by Huntington. (1) This resolve was adopted in response to a Board of War complaint of its inability to implement Congress' February 24 order for removing the Convention Army prisoners from Virginia, which had been referred to committee on February 26. The resolve herewith transmitted to Governor Jefferson contained details of how responsibility for the removal should be shared by Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania officials, which had been worked out by the committee and drafted by chairman Joseph Jones. See JCC, 19:195-96, 229-30; Huntington to Jefferson, February 25; and the following entry. For the unsuccessful effort of the Pennsylvania Council to prevent the removal of these prisoners into the state, in part from concern that the "very great Proportion of disaffected People already among us...will...greatly increase by an Intercourse with the Prisoners," see Pa. Archives, 1st ser. 8:745, 757-58.

• Page 12• MARCH 4, 1781

Note: Sam Huntington signs as President.

Letter of President McKean• Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 18 March 1, 1781 - August 31, 1781

Thomas McKean to William Heath

Sir, Philadelphia, September 19. 1781. By the advice of Congress I am to inform you,(1) that I have just now got private information, that on Sunday last an embarkation of about five thousand Troops had actually taken place at New York, on board of eighty or ninety transports which were then ready to sail. All the Troops from Long-Island, York-Island & Staten-Island are said to be on board, together with a great number of wagons, horses & light Artillery. Their destination is unknown but supposed to be for the Delaware. You will be pleased, Sir, to take the necessary precautions upon this intelligence, and to be ready to afford your Assistance as occasion may require. I am with the greatest regard, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, Thomas McKean President

RC (MHi: Heath Papers). In a clerical hand and signed by McKean. 1 JCC, 21:975.

Note: McKean signs as president.

Letter of President Hanson• Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 18 March 1, 1781 - August 31, 1781

John Hanson to Nathanael Greene •

Sir, Philadelphia 22d March 1782. Your two favours of the 24th January and 10th of February have been received and laid before Congress.(1) I have now the honor to enclose a Proclamation of Congress, dated the l9th instant, assigning the last Thursday in April for fasting, humiliation and prayer.(2) The general Affairs and transactions on the Continent seem to afford little matter either to inform or amuse. The reduction of the Islands of St. Christopher and Nevis, in the West Indies, will, no doubt, be known before this can reach you. For farther and more minute Intelligence I beg leave to refer you to Capt. Hutchins, who will have the honor of delivering this letter.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, Sir, Your obedient & very humble Servt, John Hanson, Presidt.

RC (MiU-C: Greene Papers). 1 For these letters to Congress and an enclosed January 21 letter to Greene from Virginia governor Benjamin Harrison, see PCC, item 155, 2:413-14, 421-28. 2 See Hanson to the States, March 20, 1782.

• Page 417• MARCH 25, 1782

Note: John Hanson signs as President.

John Hanson served as "President of the United States in Congress Assembled" under the Articles of Confederation from November 5, 1781 to November 4, 1782 . As the presiding officer of Congress, Hanson was responsible for initiating a number of programs that helped America gain a world position.

He took office just as the Revolutionary War ended.

During Hanson’s one year in office, he approved the Great Seal of the United States that is still used today.

During his one-year term, he ordered all foreign troops off of U.S. soil, established the Treasury and Foreign Affairs departments, and declared the fourth Thursday of November to be a national holiday – Thanksgiving.

http://www.stamponhistory.com/2003/09/07/0006

Hanson is not remembered as the first U.S. president because the Articles of Confederation proved to be flawed. They were dropped in favor of the United States Constitution in 1789.