Ivan the Butcher
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Who was the first president of the United States of America? I'll give you a clue, It wasn't George Washington!
Ivan
Ivan
President's Day Question
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I'll stick with GW. Hanson is debatable and generally not credited by the historians.
They were president of the Congress, as we didn't have an official President of the US. I think there were actually 7 or 8. Only one I can remember was Mifflin, the person Washington turned his resignation from the army to after the war.
OP
Ivan the Butcher
Member
Sorry. Under "The Articles of Confederation", our country was called "The United States of America", the chief of state was called "The President of the United States". John Hancock was the first to fill that office.
The "Constitution of the United States of America" is our nation's second form of government (Not counting the Continental Congress, which didn't have a President)
My source is Paul Harvey's "Rest of the Story".
Ivan
The "Constitution of the United States of America" is our nation's second form of government (Not counting the Continental Congress, which didn't have a President)
My source is Paul Harvey's "Rest of the Story".
Ivan
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At this point in my life I am more concerned about the last President of the United States I can remember.
From what I have read, the original title of the President of Congress was "President of the United States in Congress Assembled."
Those presidents had no executive authority. They merely presided over the proceedings of Congress much akin to today's Speaker of the House. Thus, I wouldn't say that they were actual Presidents of the United States as we have under the Constitution.
Those Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled were:
1. Peyton Randolph
2. Henry Middleton
3. Peyton Randolph
4. John Hancock
5. Henry Laurens
6. John Jay
7. Samuel Huntington
8. Thomas McKean
9. John Hanson
10. Elias Boudinot
11. Thomas Mifflin
12. Richard Henry Lee
13. John Hancock
14. Nathaniel Gorham
15. Arthur St. Clair
16. Cyrus Gordon
They served terms that ranged from 2 days to 2 and a half years. Most served less than a year.
Those presidents had no executive authority. They merely presided over the proceedings of Congress much akin to today's Speaker of the House. Thus, I wouldn't say that they were actual Presidents of the United States as we have under the Constitution.
Those Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled were:
1. Peyton Randolph
2. Henry Middleton
3. Peyton Randolph
4. John Hancock
5. Henry Laurens
6. John Jay
7. Samuel Huntington
8. Thomas McKean
9. John Hanson
10. Elias Boudinot
11. Thomas Mifflin
12. Richard Henry Lee
13. John Hancock
14. Nathaniel Gorham
15. Arthur St. Clair
16. Cyrus Gordon
They served terms that ranged from 2 days to 2 and a half years. Most served less than a year.
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
It was Thomas Johnson. BTW...I graduated from Thomas Johnson High School.
BLACKHAWKNJ
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No. 9-John Hanson-is often declared the First President, he was the first elected after the British surrendered at Yorktown. Samuel Johnston of North Carolina was elected after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation in 1781, he declined, Thomas McKean was elected instead.
While the post was largely ceremonial the office holder did have to handle the correspondence and sign documents. The position was for one year with no right of succession, they were big believers in rotation in office then.
Yes, the Articles of Confederation period is rather interesting and deserves closer scrutiny.
My long gone paternal grandmother told me she was related to Van Buren, may investigate that "someday".
While the post was largely ceremonial the office holder did have to handle the correspondence and sign documents. The position was for one year with no right of succession, they were big believers in rotation in office then.
Yes, the Articles of Confederation period is rather interesting and deserves closer scrutiny.
My long gone paternal grandmother told me she was related to Van Buren, may investigate that "someday".
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fiasconva
Member
And here we thought only the math problems would give us headaches. 
