A "Black" Man, A Moor, John Hanson Was the First President of the United States! 1781-1782 A.D.? A "Black" Man, A Moor, John Hanson Was the First President of the United States! 1781-1782 A.D.??? George Washington was really the 8th President of the United States! George Washington was not the first President of the United States. In fact, the first President of the United States was one John Hanson. Don't go checking the encyclopedia for this guy's name - he is one of those great men that are lost to history. If you're extremely lucky, you may actually find a brief mention of his name. 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 silver 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. So what happened? Why don't we ever hear about the first seven Presidents of the United States? It's quite simple - The Articles of Confederation didn't work well. The individual states had too much power and nothing could be agreed upon. A new doctrine needed to be written - something we know as the Constitution. And that leads us to the end of our story. George Washington was definitely not the first President of the United States. He was the first President of the United States under the Constitution we follow today. And the first seven Presidents are forgotten in history
1. Samuel Huntington Name: FF Samuel Huntington Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Samuel Huntington of Connecticut was elected President of the Continental Congress on September 28, 1779 and by virtue of the ratification of the Articles of Confederation on March 1, 1781 he became President of the United States, in Congress Assembled serving until July 6, 1781. He was born on July 16, 1731 at Scotland, Connecticut, the son of a Puritan farmer. The date of July 16th differs from the official Congressional Biography as during the restoration of the Huntington tomb a 207 year old plaque was discovered with the bodies stating: "His Excellency Samuel Huntington Esq. Governor of
the State of Connecticut was born July 16th AD 1731and died January 5th AD 1796 aged 64 years." During Huntington's Presidency the United States experience the military losses of Savanna, Charleston, numerous troop mutinies, Benedict Arnold's betrayal, the burning of Richmond and former Continental Congress President, Henry Middleton taking the King's oath of allegiance in South Carolina. President Huntington, through painstaking diplomacy, encouragement and a firm commitment to independence, successfully persuaded the States to meet their necessary quotas of men, dollars and provisions that allowed Washington and his generals to carry on the war. Samuel Huntington then re-focused on Maryland; the last State to ratify the Constitution of 1777 as France was threatening to withdraw its troops and Navy believing the union was falling apart. This failure to ratify the constitution was a slippery slope that had undermined the Revolutionary War effort for almost four years. Huntington prevailed, the Constitution of 1777 was ratified and seven months later French and American troops would trap General Cornwallis in Yorktown Virginia effectively ending the War.
2. Thomas McKean Name: FF Thomas McKean Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Thomas McKean of Delaware was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled July 10, 1781 serving until November 4, 1781. This signer of the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of 1777 and the Constitution of 1787 was born in New London, Chester County, Pennsylvania on March 19, 1734 and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1817.
3. John Hanson Name: FF John Hanson Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15
Description: John Hanson of Maryland was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled November 5, 1781 serving until November 3, 1782. Hanson was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1715 and died in Oxen Hills, Prince George County, Maryland on November 22, 1783. On November 5, 1781 the first Delegates, who were elected by their respective States, assembled under the Constitution of 1777 in Philadelphia.
4. Elias Boudinot Name: FF Elias Boudinot Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Elias Boudinot of New Jersey was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled on November 4, 1782 serving until November 2, 1783. Boudinot was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 2nd 1740 and died in Burlington, New Jersey October 24th, 1821. As President, Boudinot and Congress expended a great deal of time and consideration to ending the war favorably with Great Britain.
5. Thomas Mifflin Name: FF Thomas Mifflin Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Thomas Mifflin of Pennsylvania was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled November 3, 1783 serving until November 2, 1784. Mifflin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 10, 1744 into a fourth generation Quaker family.
6. Richard Henry Lee Name: FF Richard Henry Lee Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Richard Henry Lee of Virginia was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled November 30, 1784 serving until November 22, 1785. Richard Henry Lee was born in Stratford, Westmoreland County, Virginia on January 20th, 1732 and died in Chantilly, Virginia on June 19th, 1794. Lee and fellow radical Samuel Adams became close friends in the struggle for Independence forming the core of the Adams-Lee Faction.
7. John Hancock Name: FF John Hancock Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: John Hancock of Massachusetts was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled November 23, 1785 serving until June 5, 1786. Hancock also served as President of the Continental Congress from May 25th, 1775 to October 29, 1777. John Hancock was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, on January 12, 1737 and died there October 8, 1793.
8. Nathaniel Gorham Name: FF Nathaniel Gorham
Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled June 6, 1786 serving until November 13, 1786. Nathaniel Gorham was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts on May 27th, 1738 and died there on June 11th, 1796.
9. Arthur St. Clair Name: FF Arthur St. Clair Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Engraving of Arthur St. Clair of Pennsylvania was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled February 2, 1787 serving until October 29, 1787. Arthur St. Clair was born in Thurso, Scotland on March 23, 1734 and died in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on August 31, 1818. St. Clair's life, more then any other U.S. President, was comprised of sterling and stark contrasts. Enjoying a great family inheritance in his youth only to end his life in desolate poverty; crossing the Delaware with Washington to capture Trenton and Princeton while later loosing Fort Ticonderoga under his own command; presiding as President of the United States in the Congress Assembled that produced the U.S. Constitution and Northwest Ordinance only to be removed by President Jefferson as Governor of the Northwest Territory for opposing Ohio Statehood.
10. Cyrus Griffin Name: FF Cyrus Griffin Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated
Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 0.5 Weight (grams): 15.55 Fixed Price: $15 Description: Cyrus Griffin of Virginia was elected President of the United States, in Congress Assembled January 22, 1788 serving until January 21, 1789. Cyrus Griffin was born in Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia in 1749 and died in Yorktown, Virginia on December 14th, 1810.
The Forgotten Founders Set
Name: The Forgotten Founders Set Product Type: Medallion Product Group: Forgotten Founders Condition: Uncirculated Finish: Proof-like Material: .999 Silver Product Year: 2009 Product Size (mm): 30 Weight (troy ounces): 5 Weight (grams): 155.5 Description: Born in a tavern and ending in a tavern, The United States Founding governments occupied 11 different capitol buildings, experienced 15 years of challenges including war, hyperinflation, a failed constitution, judicial corruption, armed citizens and U.S. Army rebellion. Collect all 10 AOCS Approved Silver half ounce .999 fine medallions dedicated to the 10 brave men that each proudly answered to the call of "President of the united States of America".