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John Hanson (14 April [O.S. 3 April] 1715 - November 22, 1783) was a delegate to the United States in Congress Assembled from Maryland. Because he was the first President of Congressfrom Maryland to serve under a fully ratified Articles of Confederation (Maryland did not complete the process and sign until March 1, 1781), John Hanson has been called the First President of the United States in Congress Assembled.
yes, John hanson was the very first president of the United States. While George Washington was at war, John hanson came and took over for him.
A few problems with the above (ignoring the totally wrong bit about him taking over for Washington).
1. The President of the Continental Congress (or President of Congress) was a totally different position than President of the United States. President of Congress was a ceremonial position, and held almost no power. It was simply the man chosen by the delegates to preside over the Continental Congress; he ensured that the delegates adhered to the agendas and rules of debate. It bore absolutely no resemblance to the position of President of the United States other than that it had a very similar name.
2. John Hanson was not even the first President of Congress. There were MANY such Presidents before him. The first was actually Peyton Randolph, who was elected President of Congress in 1774- before the Revolutionary War even began! John Hancock was President of Congress the longest, for almost 2.5 years, and was in that position when the Declaration of Independence was signed in July 1776- this is probably the real reason why his name is signed much larger than everyone else (not the story invented later about making it big enough that the King wouldn't need his glasses).
3. John Hanson was not even the first President of Congress after the Articles of Confederation were ratified! Samuel Huntington was the President of Congress when the Articles were ratified, and he stayed in the position for a few more months until he resigned due to illness. His successor refused to take the position, and Thomas McKean wound up being the next President of Congress (Hanson was McKean's successor).
4. Nor was John Hanson the first President of Congress when the war ended! Thomas McKean was President when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown in 1781; the war technically continued, however, until 1783. Elias Boudinot was President when the Treaty of Paris was ratified in September 1783, officially ending the war and establishing the United States as an independent nation.
5. John Hanson was simply the first President of Congress who operated strictly under the rules set down in the Articles of Confederation. He otherwise has no claim to the title of "first President of the US". The Articles set guidelines for how to choose a President of Congress and how long his term lasted, but otherwise made no changes to the position; it was still a largely powerless and ceremonial position.
6. George Washington was the first President of the United States. He took office in March 1789, after the Constitution was ratified. Congress was significantly changed by the Constitution; it became a bicameral legislature- a legislature that has two houses, each headed by their own officers (the Speaker of the House, and the Senate Majority Leader). The last President of Congress resigned in November 1788 and was not replaced.
It is important to remember that the position of President of Congress is totally unrelated to the position of President of the United States. As stated above, the President of Congress had no real power. The President of the United States, on the other hand, is the Head of State (ie- the person who is considered to represent the entire country when dealing with other countries), as well as the person who wields supreme executive power in the United States government.
No- John Hanson, the president of the Continental Congress, was not black. There was a prominent black man in Liberia with the same name and people confuse them. Instead, John Hanson , from Maryland ,was president of the Continental Congress, but his main job was to chair the meetings of the convention and keep up correspondence when they were not in session. he did not have anything like the duties and powers of the president of the United States.
The new country was actually formed on March 1, 1781 with the adoption of The Articles of Confederation. This document was actually proposed on June 11, 1776, but not agreed upon by Congress until November 15, 1777. Maryland refused to sign this document until Virginia and New York ceded their western lands (Maryland was afraid that these states would gain too much power in the new government from such large amounts of land).
Once the signing took place in 1781, a President was needed to run the country. John Hanson was chosen unanimously by Congress (which included George Washington). In fact, all the other potential candidates refused to run against him, as he was a major player in the revolution and an extremely influential member of Congress.
As the first President, Hanson had quite the shoes to fill. No one had ever been President and the role was poorly defined. His actions in office would set precedent for all future Presidents.
He took office just as the Revolutionary War ended. Almost immediately, the troops demanded to be paid. As would be expected after any long war, there were no funds to meet the salaries. As a result, the soldiers threatened to overthrow the new government and put Washington on the throne as a monarch.
All the members of Congress ran for their lives, leaving Hanson as the only guy left running the government. He somehow managed to calm the troops down and hold the country together. If he had failed, the government would have fallen almost immediately and everyone would have been bowing to King Washington. In fact, Hanson sent 800 pounds of sterling siliver by his brother Samuel Hanson to George Washington to provide the troops with shoes.
Hanson, as President, ordered all foreign troops off American soil, as well as the removal of all foreign flags. This was quite the feat, considering the fact that so many European countries had a stake in the United States since the days following Columbus.
Hanson established the Great Seal of the United States, which all Presidents have since been required to use on all official documents.
President Hanson also established the first Treasury Department, the first Secretary of War, and the first Foreign Affairs Department.
Lastly, he declared that the fourth Thursday of every November was to be Thanksgiving Day, which is still true today.
The Articles of Confederation only allowed a President to serve a one year term during any three year period, so Hanson actually accomplished quite a bit in such little time.
Six other presidents were elected after him - Elias Boudinot (1783), Thomas Mifflin (1784), Richard Henry Lee (1785), Nathan Gorman (1786), Arthur St. Clair (1787), and Cyrus Griffin (1788) - all prior to Washington taking office.
Yes, John Hanson was not only a president in the "Office of the President" of the original United States Constitution called the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, he was the very first president in its first term that started in November of that year - after theUnited States Constitution was ratified on March 1, 1781. The ratification brought an end to the Continental Congress and the start of the government of the United States of America, its first congress and first president. President Hanson was also the first to be elected by the very first official representatives of that congress from the November elections. President Hanson was without doubt the first to fulfill the terms of that constitution as our first President of the United States of America.
The original constitution is the only document that gives the United States of America its official name. The original presidents were a true form of civil servants to the people in a higher level of democracy that exceeds our republic today. J.J. Cummings
John Hanson was the first of seven people to be elected President of the "United States in Congress Assembled" under the Articles of Confederation. As such he presided over the Continental Congress. This position is most akin to the modern positions of Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate (a post filled by the Vice-President).
The office of President of the United States in Congress Assembled was not intended to represent the supreme executive power of the country. President of the United States of America, as we know it today is a very different office. It is thus correct to describe George Washington as the first President of the United States.
Also, John Hanson was not black. Someone may show a photograph (daguerrotype) of a black man named John Hanson Moor, and tell you that this was the first President of the United States. John Hanson Moor was a 19th Century Liberian senator. John Hanson died in 1783 before the advent of photographic technology.
many people think George Washington was the first president of the united states of America if you think that you are wrong john hanson was the first president, so remember that
He was the first President before the Constitution we follow today.
No, there has never been a U.S. President named Hanson. However, John Hanson was president of the Continental Congress set up by the articles of Confederation in 1781 which governed the US after the revolution ended until the US Constitution could be written and ratified to create new nation of the United States of America.
There are some who would argue that John Hanson was the first president of the United States. He was elected as president of the Continental Congress in 1781 and served for one term.
Yes he was but it was before America became united under the constitution
No. The United States had only just declared its independence that year, and didn't have a nationally elected president.
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What president resinged from office?
the president that resigned is john Hanson
What was president John Hanson's nationality?
John Hanson was born in America of English descent. ( He was not black, if that is what you really want to know. There was a balck John Hanson who was a prominent citizen in Liberia .
Who was the first black president in the 1700s?
John Hanson
Who was the first USA President?
The first President was not George Washington it was John Hanson. John Hanson was the president during the revolutionary war and was owned by England. George Washington was elected autonomously when America was a country of its own.
Was john hanson black or white?
John Hanson was not black but he did serve as the president of the first Continental Congress and so is sometimes referred to as the first president. (There was a black John Hanson who was a prominent Senator in Liberia. People get the two confused from time to time. ) The American John Hanson served as President (1781-1782) under the Articles of Confederation. Hanson's position as president was not at all like the position of President under the United States Constitution. His main job was to chair meetings of the convention and serve as a sort of corresponding secretary for the Congress when it was not in session. Therefore, even though Hanson was in some sense the first president he get only a minor mention in the history books. He was honored by the US Postal Service with a postal card in 1972 and a commemorative stamp in 1981.
When was John Hanson the President?
There has never been a U.S. President or Vice President named Hanson.
Where was John Hanson inauguration held?
Hanson, John 1st Continental Congress 1781 John Hanson elected 1st "President of the US in Congress assembled" - Hanson, John ACI International -John Hanson
What race was John Hanson?
John Hanson, the first president of congress, was white; John Hanson, a part of the American Colonization Society, was African-American.
What president resinged from office?
the president that resigned is john Hanson
Who was really the first president?
John Hanson
When was John Hanson President of Congress?
Hanson was president of the continental congress for one year, beginning November, 1781
What was president John Hanson's nationality?
John Hanson was born in America of English descent. ( He was not black, if that is what you really want to know. There was a balck John Hanson who was a prominent citizen in Liberia .
Who was the first president to be nominated by a party?
John Hanson
How was the first president under the constitution?
John Hanson
Who was the first real president of the US?
John Hanson
Who was the first black president in the 1700s?
John Hanson
What was john hanson's position in government?
Hanson was the first president of the Continental Congress and thus in some sense the first president of America.
