Download Our First President - Richmond County Schools

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.
Definition
Characteristics
President
Examples
Non-Examples
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)
Please note
information
in red.
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;
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?
The President of the Continental
Congress was the leader of the
Continental Congress elected by the
delegates to the congress.
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 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.
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.
http://lego70.tripod.com/us/hanson.htm
Presidents of the Continental Congress
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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)
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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
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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 President
RC (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, 22930; 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.
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Page 12
MARCH 4, 1781
Note: Sam Huntington signs as President.
Letter of President McKean
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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
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Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 18 March 1, 1781 - August 31, 1781
John Hanson to Nathanael Greene
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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.
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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.