You may want to look at the Wikipedia entry for John Hanson at
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hanson_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hanson)
from which this excerpt is provided:
Political career
John Hanson was first elected to represent Charles County in the colonial
assembly in _1757_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1757) . He also served as their
representative in 1758-1763, 1765, 1766, 1768-1769. At various times he held
several positions in local government, including that of treasurer of
_Frederick County_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_County,_Maryland) .
When the colonial assembly was dismissed or _prorogued_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prorogue) in _1774_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1774) , Hanson
became a representative in the _Annapolis Convention_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis_Convention) which replaced it as a revolutionary government.
Over the next several sessions of that assembly, he gained a reputation as an
outspoken supporter of moves towards revolution. His speeches contributed to
Maryland's decision to support rebels engaged in the _Siege of Boston_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Boston) .
In December of _1779_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1779) , the Maryland
House of Delegates named John Hanson as one of its delegates to the _Continental
Congress_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Congress) . He began
those duties when he took his seat in _Philadelphia_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania) on _June 14_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_14) , _1780_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1780) , serving until _1782_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1782) . While Hanson was in Congress, the _Articles
of Confederation_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation)
were at last ratified by all the states. When the Congress received notice of
this on March 1, _1781_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1781) , he joined
_Daniel Carroll_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Carroll) in endorsing them
for Maryland.
[_edit_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Hanson&action=edit§ion=3) ]
President of Congress
Before the adoption of the _Constitution_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_States) in _1787_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1787) ,
the colonies operated under the direction of the Continental Congress,
although they remained in principle a _confederation_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederation) of independent states. Even after the adoption of the
_Articles of Confederation_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation)
, there was no executive branch. As such the _President of the Continental
Congress_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_Continental_Congress)
, which was a position similar to a _Prime Minister_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister) , was the highest authority; under the Articles, the
position adopted the title President of the United States in Congress
Assembled, and Hanson was the first presiding officer of the Congress to use that
title when dealing with foreign governments, diplomats, or treaties. Congress had
little authority beyond those powers, which had been specifically delegated
to it by the states, and its weakness during this period led directly to a
decline in influence and the _1787_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1787)
Constitution, with a more robust federal model.
Hanson's term as President of Congress, during this critical formation
period, did have longstanding influence.
Among the accomplishments of Hanson's presidency of Congress:
* Delivered the official Thanks of Congress to George Washington for
his victory at _Yorktown_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Yorktown)
* Commended _Gen. Lafayette_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_du_Motier,_marquis_de_La_Fayette) and thanked _France_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France) for his services
* Pressed states to keep up their commitments to sending delegates to
Congress, which was often short of a _quorum_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorum)
* Passed legislation for the _Bank of North America_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_North_America) , the first central bank
* Appointed a Secretary of the United States to assist in
correspondence and record-keeping
* Granted Gen. Washington broad powers to negotiate prisoner exchanges
with _Britain_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom) ; Washington
immediately worked out a trade of Gen. _Cornwallis_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwallis) for _Henry Laurens_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Laurens) , the first president of the _Continental Congress_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Congress)
* Established the _United States Mint_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Mint)
* Established the predecessor agency of the _State Department_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State)
* Proclaimed the first national _Thanksgiving_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving) holiday
* Created the position of Chairman of Congress, a predecessor of the
_vice-presidency_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_President_of_the_United_States)
* Negotiated a peace treaty with Britain
* Settled a dispute between _Connecticut_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut) and _Pennsylvania_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania)
, with Hanson acting as an equivalent of _Chief Justice_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_United_States)
* Called for the first national _census_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census)
"First President" myth
A popular _urban legend_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_legend) or
_bar bet_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_bet) suggests that Hanson was the
"first President" of the United States.
The origin of the claim that Hanson is the "forgotten" first President stems
from a _1932_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932) book by Seymour Wemyss
Smith titled John Hanson - Our First President. Nevertheless, officially Hanson w
as the third presiding officer of the Congress of the United States, and he
considered himself a successor to the first two men to hold the office,
_Samuel Huntington_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Huntington_(statesman))
and _Thomas McKean_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_McKean) . He was the
first to serve a full one-year term, and the first to formally use the title
President of the United States in Congress Assembled.
Most reputable history sources seem to generally agree with this summary.
It's widely regarded as true that George Washington was the first President of
the US under the Constitution, that Hanson was not the first President of
the Continental Congress, and that Hanson was the first individual to use the
title of "President of the United States in Congress Assembled". In that
sense Hanson can truly be considered the first "President of the United States";
but that isn't the sense usually thought of by most people.
:-) Bob
**************************************
Robert D. Shriner, Ph.D. ([log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask]) )
SHRINER-MIDLAND COMPANY
Management & Economics Consultants
Warrenton, Virginia U.S.A.
**************************************
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