For the Historians

[SeaCat]

Here is a question that was posed to me and I honestly didn't know the answer.

Who were the true first 8 Presidents of the United States? (Think Articles of Confederation.)

Cat

 

[vampiredust]

do I get a cookie if I get it right?

 

[jomar]

I'd be surprised if anybody except Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, children in a certain grade and may some extremists could answer it without googling.

 

[3113]

do I get a cookie if I get it right?

No. You get an American Flag and a merit badge.

 

[SeaCat]

I'd be surprised if anybody except Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, children in a certain grade and may some extremists could answer it without googling.

Somehow I think that most of them wouldn't get it either.

Cat

 

[gauchecritic]

The first person to be titled President or the first to hold that office?

 

[SeaCat]

The first person to be titled President or the first to hold that office?

Actually it's both.

Need another hint?

Cat

 

[gauchecritic]

Actually it's both.

Need another hint?

Cat

I'm pretty sure I've heard someone state that the office existed before the title. And I still don't know any way.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Who were the true first 8 Presidents of the United States? (Think Articles of Confederation.)

Cat

You pays your money, you takes your pick.

Rumple Foreskin ;cool:

==

From Wikipedia:

The formal title of “President of the United States, in Congress Assembled” was often shortened to simply “President of the United States”. Prior to the Lee Resolution of independence, the position was simply the President of Congress for the United Colonies of America.

While the office of President of the Continental Congress had very little relationship to the office of President of the United States beyond the name, John Hancock did assume the position of Head of State when independence was declared. A key difference is that the President of the United States is the head of the executive branch of government, while the President of the Continental Congress was merely the chair of a body that most resembled a legislature, although it possessed legislative, executive, and judicial powers. While today's President can be seen as the most powerful single person in the country, the word president itself harkens back to this legacy of being merely one who presides over an assembly for a fixed time - the antithesis of a King.

--

Served as President of the Second Continental Congress:
Peyton Randolph (September 5, 1774 – October 21, 1774) and
Henry Middleton (October 22, 1774 – October 26, 1774)

Served as President of the Second Continental Congress:
Peyton Randolph (May 10, 1775 – May 23, 1775)
John Hancock (May 24, 1775 – October 31, 1777)
Henry Laurens (November 1, 1777 – December 9, 1778)
John Jay (December 10, 1778 – September 27, 1779)
Samuel Huntington (September 28, 1779 – March 1, 1781)[1]

Served as President of the United States in Congress Assembled:
Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781[2] – July 9, 1781)
Thomas McKean (July 10, 1781 – November 4, 1781)[3]
John Hanson (November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782)
Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 – November 2, 1783)
Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784)
Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 – November 6, 1785)
John Hancock (November 23, 1785 – June 5, 1786) Due to Hancock's failing health the following two people acted as president in his stead:[1]
David Ramsay (November 23, 1785 – May 12, 1786)
Nathaniel Gorham (May 15, 1786 – June 5, 1786)
Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786)
Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787)
Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 – November 2, 1788)

 

[SeaCat]

You pays your money, you takes your pick.

Rumple Foreskin ;cool:

==

From Wikipedia:

The formal title of “President of the United States, in Congress Assembled” was often shortened to simply “President of the United States”. Prior to the Lee Resolution of independence, the position was simply the President of Congress for the United Colonies of America.

While the office of President of the Continental Congress had very little relationship to the office of President of the United States beyond the name, John Hancock did assume the position of Head of State when independence was declared. A key difference is that the President of the United States is the head of the executive branch of government, while the President of the Continental Congress was merely the chair of a body that most resembled a legislature, although it possessed legislative, executive, and judicial powers. While today's President can be seen as the most powerful single person in the country, the word president itself harkens back to this legacy of being merely one who presides over an assembly for a fixed time - the antithesis of a King.

--

Served as President of the Second Continental Congress:
Peyton Randolph (September 5, 1774 – October 21, 1774) and
Henry Middleton (October 22, 1774 – October 26, 1774)

Served as President of the Second Continental Congress:
Peyton Randolph (May 10, 1775 – May 23, 1775)
John Hancock (May 24, 1775 – October 31, 1777)
Henry Laurens (November 1, 1777 – December 9, 1778)
John Jay (December 10, 1778 – September 27, 1779)
Samuel Huntington (September 28, 1779 – March 1, 1781)[1]

Served as President of the United States in Congress Assembled:
Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781[2] – July 9, 1781)
Thomas McKean (July 10, 1781 – November 4, 1781)[3]
John Hanson (November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782)
Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 – November 2, 1783)
Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784)
Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 – November 6, 1785)
John Hancock (November 23, 1785 – June 5, 1786) Due to Hancock's failing health the following two people acted as president in his stead:[1]
David Ramsay (November 23, 1785 – May 12, 1786)
Nathaniel Gorham (May 15, 1786 – June 5, 1786)
Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786)
Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787)
Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 – November 2, 1788)

And the dude get's the Cigar.

Believe it or not, even with all of my studying of history I didn't know this.

Cat

 

[3113]

Served as President of the Second Continental Congress:
Peyton Randolph (September 5, 1774 – October 21, 1774) and
Henry Middleton (October 22, 1774 – October 26, 1774)

Served as President of the Second Continental Congress:
Peyton Randolph (May 10, 1775 – May 23, 1775)
John Hancock (May 24, 1775 – October 31, 1777)
Henry Laurens (November 1, 1777 – December 9, 1778)
John Jay (December 10, 1778 – September 27, 1779)
Samuel Huntington (September 28, 1779 – March 1, 1781)[1]

Served as President of the United States in Congress Assembled:
Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781[2] – July 9, 1781)
Thomas McKean (July 10, 1781 – November 4, 1781)[3]
John Hanson (November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782)
Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 – November 2, 1783)
Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784)
Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 – November 6, 1785)
John Hancock (November 23, 1785 – June 5, 1786) Due to Hancock's failing health the following two people acted as president in his stead:[1]
David Ramsay (November 23, 1785 – May 12, 1786)
Nathaniel Gorham (May 15, 1786 – June 5, 1786)
Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786)
Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787)
Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 – November 2, 1788)

Obviously these guys didn't make much of an impression on anyone outside, perhaps, of John Hancock. I don't think many people would recognize any of the other names.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Obviously these guys didn't make much of an impression on anyone outside, perhaps, of John Hancock. I don't think many people would recognize any of the other names.

Other than Hancock, the only two names I recognize are those of John Jay (co-wrote the Federalist Papers with Hamilton and Madison, first US Supreme Court chief justice, etc.) and Richard Henry Lee of Virginia who signed the Declaration of Independence.

My favorite piece of trivia from that era in US history is the "true fact" that when the war began, Benjamin Franklin's illegitimate son was the Royal Governor of New Jersey and remained loyal to the crown.

I like how it reveals so much about Franklin, the strains divided loyalties placed on many families, and the status of "bastards" in the society of that day. Of course, it also appeals to me because it's doubtful if that info will ever grace the pages of any high school history book.

Rumple Foreskin