It is common knowledge that George Washington was the first President of the United States under the US Constitution, however, many people are unaware that there have been fourteen men who held the title of president before George Washington took office.
Despite the fact that these fourteen men held the title of president, the office in which they served was vastly different from that of the modern President of the United States, in fact, the title of their office was not President of the United States, or even President of the United Colonies, but instead President of Congress. The President of Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, and later the Congress of the Confederation, which was a convention of delegates assembled in Philadelphia as the transitional government of the developing nation. The President of Congress was a member of Congress elected by other delegates whose duty was to serve as a neutral discussion moderator, however, the office was apparently largely ceremonial.
Here is a list of each president of Congress.
1. Peyton Randolph (served for 47 days)
Peyton Randolph of Virginia was elected President of Congress when the First Continental Congress was established in September of 1774. Before the Articles of Confederation were ratified, there was no limit to the term of the President of Congress. Due to poor health, Randolph was unable to attend the last days of the session of the First Continental Congress, therefore, Congress held another election.
2. Henry Middleton (served for 4 days)
Henry Middleton of South Carolina was elected President of Congress in October of 1774 to replace Randolph. Middleton’s term ended only a few days later due to the adjournment of the First Continental Congress.
3. Peyton Randolph (served for 14 days)
Randolph was again elected as President of Congress in May of 1775 when the Second Continental Congress was established, but after only a couple weeks, Randolph returned to Virginia to preside over the House of Burgesses, which prompted Congress to hold another election.
4. John Hancock (served for 2 years, 158 days)
John Hancock of Massachusetts Bay was elected as President of Congress in May of 1775 to replace Randolph. Without an official resignation from Randolph, Hancock’s presidency was somewhat ambiguous, especially when Randolph returned to Congress in September of 1775; the situation wasn’t resolved until Randolph’s sudden death that October. On August 2, 1776, Hancock became the first to sign the Declaration of Independence with his famously large signature and bold remark about how the British could read his signature without spectacles, which he did while serving as President of Congress. After serving for more than two years, which was the longest term served by a president of Congress, Hancock left for what he thought was an extended leave of absence, but when he returned, Hancock discovered that an election had been held only a few days after he had left.
5. Henry Laurens (served for 1 year, 38 days)
Henry Laurens of South Carolina was elected as President of Congress in November of 1777 to replace Hancock. Laurens resigned in December of 1778.
6. John Jay (served for 292 days)
John Jay of New York was elected as President of Congress in December of 1778; Jay resigned in September of 1779.
7. Samuel Huntington (served for 1 year, 285 days)
Samuel Huntington of Connecticut was elected as President of Congress in September of 1779. In March of 1781, the Articles of Confederation were ratified, which prompted the disbandment of the Second Continental Congress and the establishment of the Congress of the Confederation. Huntington resigned in July of 1781.
8. Thomas McKean (served for 118 days)
Thomas McKean of Delaware was elected as President of Congress in July of 1781; McKean resigned in November of 1781.
9. John Hanson (served for 364 days)
John Hanson of Maryland was elected as President of Congress in November of 1781. Hanson was the first president to follow the rule of the Articles of Confederation, which specified that no president of Congress should serve a term longer than one year. Hanson’s term ended in November of 1782.
10. Elias Boudinot (served for 364 days)
Elias Boudinot of New Jersey was elected as President of Congress in November of 1782; Boudinot’s term ended in November of 1783.
11. Thomas Mifflin (served for 213 days)
Thomas Mifflin of Pennsylvania was elected as President of Congress in November of 1783; Mifflin resigned in June of 1784.
12. Richard Henry Lee (served for 339 days)
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia was elected as President of Congress in November of 1784; Lee resigned in November of 1785.
13. John Hancock (served for 194 days)
Hancock was elected as President of Congress a second time in November of 1785; Hancock resigned in June of 1786.
14. Nathaniel Gorham (served for 241 days)
Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts was elected as President of Congress in June of 1786; Gorham resigned in February of 1787.
15. Arthur St. Clair (served for 275 days)
Arthur St. Clair of Pennsylvania was elected as President of Congress in February of 1787; St. Clair resigned in November of 1787.
16. Cyrus Griffin (served for 298 days)
Cyrus Griffin of Virginia was elected as President of Congress in January of 1788; Griffin ended his term in November of 1788.
In March of 1789, only several months after the resignation of Griffin, the United States Constitution came into effect, replacing the Articles of Confederation; the Constitution has been effective since then, which is more than 234 years. The Congress of the Confederation was also disbanded and replaced by the United States Congress. In April of that year, George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States.
Who is your favorite President of Congress?
Onward American 