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6.2. General Information
6.2.1. The First President
E-mail: Who was the first President of the United States? Not George Washington according to my history professor, he was later in the list.
Reply: Of course George Washington was the first person to hold the office of President of the United States, as created by the Constitution of the United States written in 1787.
However, the men who were elected to preside over the Continental Congress and later the Congress under the Articles of Confederation were also called "President of the United States." Of course, since the position was limited to presiding over Congress, it was a very different job from that of presidents under the Constitution.
The Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781. Both Thomas McKean of Delaware [FFF 444] and John Hanson of Maryland were the Presidents of Congress that year. I have seen both these names mentioned as the first president. [FFF 444]
John Hancock held the title "President" of the Continental Congress in 1776 when the United States was created, so he could also be called the first president.
Going back further, Peyton Randolph of Virginia was the first president of the Continental Congress in 1774, so he also could be called the first president.
Here is the list of "presidents" before Washington::
Presidents of Congress: 1774 to 1789
| Years Served | Name | Home State |
| 1774 | Peyton Randolph | Virginia |
| 1774-1775 | Henry Middleton | South Carolina |
| 1775 | Peyton Randolph | Virginia |
| 1775-1777 | John Hancock | Massachusetts |
| 1777-1778 | Henry Laurens | South Carolina |
| 1778-1779 | John Jay | New York |
| 1779-1781 | Samuel Huntington | Connecticut |
| 1781 | Thomas McKean | Delaware |
| 1781-1782 | John Hanson | Maryland |
| 1782-1783 | Elias Boudinot | New Jersey |
| 1783-1784 | Thomas Mifflin | Pennsylvania |
| 1784-1785 | Richard Henry Lee | Virginia |
| 1785-1786 | John Hancock | Massachusetts |
| 1786-1787 | Nathaniel Gorham | Massachusetts |
| 1787-1788 | Arthur St. Clair | Pennsylvania |
| 1788-1789 | Cyrus Griffin | Virginia |
[AP 490]
E-mail:. Who was the "zeroth" president? This was the president (pro-tem?) who was the acting president until Washington's election and inauguration.
Reply: I have never heard of an "acting" president who had Constitutional presidential authority before Washington. In fact, I think that is impossible. However, there were several "Presidents" of Congress under the Articles of Confederation, including Cyrus Griffin of Virginia, who served from 1788-1789. Perhaps that is the name you are looking for.
E-mail:Who was the first president of the Continental United States? It was not George Washington (he was the 14th president). The initials are P.R. (and it is not Paul Revere).
Reply: Peyton Randolph was the first president of the Continental Congress in 1774. Fourteen different men held the title "president" to preside over congress before the Constitution was ratified. [AP 490]
E-mail: Who was the president of the United States in 1787?
Reply: The Constitution was ratified in 1789, so in 1787 the office of "President of the United States" was really just the President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation. In 1787 this position was occupied by Nathaniel Gorham and Arthur St. Clair.