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&section=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.
**************************************
Blessed are the flexible,  for they shall not get
bent out of  shape.

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