Virtual Museum of Art | Virtual Museum of History | Virtual Public Library | Virtual Science Center | Virtual Museum of Natural History | Virtual War Museum
   You are in: Museum of History >> Hall of USA >> US Presidents >> Presidents of the United States

 
Who Was The First President of the United States?
Peyton Randolph
First President of the Continental Congress United Colonies of America
John Hancock 
First President of the Continental Congress United States of America
Samuel Huntington
First President of the United States of America  in Congress Assembled
George Washington 
First President of the United States of America


 

Happy Birthdays USA


The US Founding Handbook:

Birthdates, Capitols and Presidents

Click Here

Chapter Ten: The US Presidency
(Abridged)

By: Stanley L. Klos

 

The origin of the U.S. Presidency can be traced back to the convening of the American Colonial Congress on September 5, 1774 when the delegates elected Peyton Randolph of Virginia as their President. Originally just called Congress, the word Continental was added to the name on October 20, 1774 in the Articles of Association primarily to distinguish this Congress from the many Congresses being held throughout the Colonies at that time.

 

“We, his majesty's most loyal subjects, the delegates of the several colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina, deputed to represent them in a continental Congress, held in the city of Philadelphia, on the 5th day of September, 1774” [1]

 

The Articles of Association were an alliance between the Colonies, later States, and not a Constitution per se. The Continental Congress would convene under this agreement passing laws, enacting treaties and conducting a war.

Under these Articles of Association the delegates of the Continental Congress began to formulate a federal constitution under the presidencies of the well-known John Hancock and Henry Laurens from 1775 until 1777. The first federal constitution, known as the Articles of Confederation, was passed by the delegates in York-Town (now York), Pennsylvania on November 15, 1777. [2] The constitution, however, required unanimous ratification by all thirteen States. Maryland held out until February 28th, 1781. Consequently, for four years the Continental Congress existed in an indeterminate state that often required a creative melding of the Articles of Association with the Articles of Confederation meeting the needs of the ever fluid central government in its conduction of an ongoing war for independence.

On March 1, 1781 the Articles of Confederation were ratified. The Continental Congress ceased to exist and the United States of America in Congress Assembled became the federal government of a “Perpetual Union between the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.” [3]

The Articles of Confederation, although erratically enforced from 1777 to 1781, were the true law of the land only for seven years, 1781-1788, with ten men holding the office, President of the United States. By 1787, the founding fathers agreed that the unicameral government formed by the Constitution of 1777 was grossly inadequate. Former President of the Continental Congress John Jay wrote the following as the U.S. Foreign Secretary:

“To vest legislative, judicial, and executive powers in one and the same body of men, and that, too, in a body daily changing its members, can never be wise. In my opinion those three great departments of sovereignty should be forever separated, and so distributed as to serve as checks on each other." [4]

President Arthur St. Clair and his 1787 Congress clearly understood the severity of these inadequacies. On February 21, 1787 they enacted legislation to “… render the federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union” [5] Specifically, the United States, in Congress Assembled passed the following resolution:


“Resolved that in the opinion of Congress it is expedient that on the second Monday in May next a Convention of delegates who shall have been appointed by the several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation and reporting to Congress and the several legislatures such alterations and provisions therein as shall when agreed to in Congress and confirmed by the States render the federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union.”
[6]

This historic resolution produced the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. It resulted in not a revision of the Constitution of 1777, but an innovative Plan of the New Federal Government, known as the Constitution of 1787 that current governs the United States of America.  In the this constitution the office of President of the United States was combined with Commander-in-Chief. 

When is the Birthday of the USA?

Click Here to answer two question U.S. Birthday Survey

Click here: Who was the first US President? - Two Question Survey

Click here: What are the nine US Capitols? Survey

 

U.S. Founding Presidential Point One - The number of unicameral Presidents:

  • The Journals of the Continental Congress and the United States, in Congress Assembled report that there were six Presidents of the Continental Congress and ten Presidents of the United States, in Congress Assembled serving from 1774 to 1788 before George Washington.

  • Two of the Presidents, John Hancock and Samuel Huntington, served in both offices. The total number of men holding founding presidential offices is fourteen.

  • A 15th founder, Samuel Johnson of North Carolina, was elected the President of the United States, in Congress Assembled on July 10th, 1781 but refused to accept the office.

8th Century Journals of Congress and United States in Congress Assembled for 1781 recording Mr. Johnson's decline of the US Presidency
 

18th Century Journals of Congress and United States in Congress Assembled for 1781 recording Mr. Johnson's decline of the US Presidency -  Original Manuscript – Stan Klos Collection


 

  • David Ramsay of South Carolina served as the Chairman of the United States, in Congress Assembled for the ailing President, John Hancock, from November 23, 1785 – May 12, 1786.  Upon Ramsay’s resignation, Nathaniel Gorham assumed the Chairmanship until John Hancock resigned.

 

U.S. Founding Presidential Point Two – The unicameral congress Delegates’ election of the President:

  •  Each Colony/State elected or appointed a delegation to the Continental Congress and the United States, in Congress Assembled.

  • Each State, regardless of population or delegation size, had only one vote in both the Continental Congress and the United States, in Congress Assembled.  Presidents were elected by a simple majority of the States in attendance once a quorum was formed.

18th Century Journals of Congress and United States in Congress Assembled for 1781 showing no matter how many delegates a state had they had only one vote.

18th Century Journals of Congress and United States in Congress Assembled for 1781 showing no matter how many delegates a state had they had only one vote. Original Manuscript – Stan Klos Collection

 

U.S. Founding Presidential Point Three –Presidents of the Continental Congress:

 

  • The Articles of Association was passed October 20, 1774 and it officially named the Continental Congress.  

  • Peyton Randolph, Henry Middleton and John Hancock served as Presidents of the Continental Congress of the United Colonies from September 5, 1774 to July 1, 1776.  

  • John Hancock, Henry Laurens, John Jay, and Samuel Huntington served as Presidents of Continental Congress of the United States from July 2, 1776[i] until March 1, 1781.[ii]

 

Articles of Association, October 20, 1774
Articles of Association, October 20, 1774
Library of Congress Broadside Collection[iii]

 

Presidents of the Continental Congress

 

Peyton Randolph

September 5, 1774

October 22, 1774

Henry Middleton

October 22, 1774

October 26, 1774

Peyton Randolph

May 20, 1775

May 24, 1775

John Hancock

May 25, 1775

October 29, 1777

Henry Laurens

November 1, 1777

December 9, 1778

John Jay

December 10, 1778

September 28, 1779

 

 U.S. Founding Presidential Point Four – The Articles of Confederation:

  •  The first federal constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was passed on November 15, 1777 but it required ratification by all thirteen states. 

  • Virginia was the first to ratify the constitution on December 16, 1777. 

  • Delaware, which claims to be the First U.S. State, ratified the Articles of Confederation on February 9, 1779.  

  • Maryland was the last state to ratify delaying its approval until March 1, 1781. On March 2, 1781 the Continental Congress was dissolved and the new constitutional government named the United States, in Congress Assembled convened. [iv]

  • Virginia, not Delaware is the “First State” to ratify the formation of the United States of America.

                 

US Statehood Order

Articles of Confederation – 1 to 13 States

US Constitution – 37 to 50 States

 

State

State Passes

Reported to

Delegates Sign

 

 

Ratification

Congress

 

1

 Virginia

16 December 1777

25 June 1778

9 July 1778

2

 South Carolina

5 February 1778

25 June 1778

9 July 1778

3

 New York

6 February 1778

23 June 1778

9 July 1778

4

 Rhode Island

16 February 1778

23 June 1778

9 July 1778

5

 Georgia

26 February 1778

25 June 1778

9 July 1778

6

 Connecticut

27 February 1778

23 June 1778

9 July 1778

7

 New Hampshire

4 March 1778

23 June 1778

7-9-1778–8-8-1778

8

 Pennsylvania

5 March 1778

25 June 1778

7-9-1778 -7-9-1778

9

 Massachusetts

10 March 1778

23 June 1778

9 July 1778

10

 North Carolina

24 April 1778

25 June 1778

21 July 1778

11

 New Jersey

20 November 1778

25-26 Nov. 1778

26 Nov 1778

12

 Delaware

1 February 1779

16 February 1779

2-22-1779-5-5-1779

13

 Maryland

2 February 1781

12 February 1781

1 March 1781 [v]

 

U.S. Founding Presidential Point Five – the first President of the United States, in Congress Assembled:

  • Elected in 1779 under rules, the Articles of Association and subsequent resolutions, Samuel Huntington ascended to the United States Presidency on March 2, 1781. The Journals of the United States, in Congress Assembled report: “The ratification of the Articles of Confederation being yesterday completed by the accession of the State of Maryland: The United States met in Congress, when the following members appeared: His Excellency Samuel Huntington, delegate for Connecticut, President.” [vi]

 

U. S. Treasury referring to Samuel Huntington as President of the United States,

U. S. Treasury referring to Samuel Huntington as President of the United States,
 in Congress Assembled – Image Courtesy of the Library of Congress
[vii]

 

Continued


Start your search on Presidents of the United States.


The Congressional Evolution of the United States Henry Middleton


Unauthorized Site: This site and its contents are not affiliated, connected, associated with or authorized by the individual, family, friends, or trademarked entities utilizing any part or the subject's entire name. Any official or affiliated sites that are related to this subject will be hyper linked below upon submission and Evisum, Inc. review.

Copyright© 2000 by Evisum Inc.TM. All rights reserved.
Evisum Inc.TM Privacy Policy

Search:

About Us

 

 

Image Use

Please join us in our mission to incorporate The Congressional Evolution of the United States of America discovery-based curriculum into the classroom of every primary and secondary school in the United States of America by July 2, 2026, the nation’s 250th birthday. , the United States of America: We The People Click Here

 

Historic Documents

Articles of Association

Articles of Confederation 1775

Articles of Confederation

Article the First

Coin Act

Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

Emancipation Proclamation

Gettysburg Address

Monroe Doctrine

Northwest Ordinance

No Taxation Without Representation

Thanksgiving Proclamations

Mayflower Compact

Treaty of Paris 1763

Treaty of Paris 1783

Treaty of Versailles

United Nations Charter

United States In Congress Assembled

US Bill of Rights

United States Constitution

US Continental Congress

US Constitution of 1777

US Constitution of 1787

Virginia Declaration of Rights

 

Historic Events

Battle of New Orleans

Battle of Yorktown

Cabinet Room

Civil Rights Movement

Federalist Papers

Fort Duquesne

Fort Necessity

Fort Pitt

French and Indian War

Jumonville Glen

Manhattan Project

Stamp Act Congress

Underground Railroad

US Hospitality

US Presidency

Vietnam War

War of 1812

West Virginia Statehood

Woman Suffrage

World War I

World War II

 

Is it Real?



Declaration of
Independence

Digital Authentication
Click Here

 

America’s Four Republics
The More or Less United States

 
Continental Congress
U.C. Presidents

Peyton Randolph

Henry Middleton

Peyton Randolph

John Hancock

  

Continental Congress
U.S. Presidents

John Hancock

Henry Laurens

John Jay

Samuel Huntington

  

Constitution of 1777
U.S. Presidents

Samuel Huntington

Samuel Johnston
Elected but declined the office

Thomas McKean

John Hanson

Elias Boudinot

Thomas Mifflin

Richard Henry Lee

John Hancock
[
Chairman David Ramsay]

Nathaniel Gorham

Arthur St. Clair

Cyrus Griffin

  

Constitution of 1787
U.S. Presidents

George Washington 

John Adams
Federalist Party


Thomas Jefferson
Republican* Party

James Madison 
Republican* Party

James Monroe
Republican* Party

John Quincy Adams
Republican* Party
Whig Party

Andrew Jackson
Republican* Party
Democratic Party


Martin Van Buren
Democratic Party

William H. Harrison
Whig Party

John Tyler
Whig Party

James K. Polk
Democratic Party

David Atchison**
Democratic Party

Zachary Taylor
Whig Party

Millard Fillmore
Whig Party

Franklin Pierce
Democratic Party

James Buchanan
Democratic Party


Abraham Lincoln 
Republican Party

Jefferson Davis***
Democratic Party

Andrew Johnson
Republican Party

Ulysses S. Grant 
Republican Party

Rutherford B. Hayes
Republican Party

James A. Garfield
Republican Party

Chester Arthur 
Republican Party

Grover Cleveland
Democratic Party

Benjamin Harrison
Republican Party

Grover Cleveland 
Democratic Party

William McKinley
Republican Party

Theodore Roosevelt
Republican Party

William H. Taft 
Republican Party

Woodrow Wilson
Democratic Party

Warren G. Harding 
Republican Party

Calvin Coolidge
Republican Party

Herbert C. Hoover
Republican Party

Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic Party

Harry S. Truman
Democratic Party

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican Party

John F. Kennedy
Democratic Party

Lyndon B. Johnson 
Democratic Party 

Richard M. Nixon 
Republican Party

Gerald R. Ford 
Republican Party

James Earl Carter, Jr. 
Democratic Party

Ronald Wilson Reagan 
Republican Party

George H. W. Bush
Republican Party 

William Jefferson Clinton
Democratic Party

George W. Bush 
Republican Party

Barack H. Obama
Democratic Party

Please Visit

Forgotten Founders
Norwich, CT

Annapolis Continental
Congress Society


U.S. Presidency
& Hospitality

© Stan Klos

 

 

 

 


Virtual Museum of Art | Virtual Museum of History | Virtual Public Library | Virtual Science Center | Virtual Museum of Natural History | Virtual War Museum