USCA President John Hanson Myths: Debunked
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The current Maryland Legislature, John Hanson Memorial Association, & other "Hansonite" proponents are doing intellectual harm by disseminating misinformation regarding John Hanson. JohnHanson.org is thus dedicated to debunking Hansonite urban legends, specious governmental legislation, and other stories of unknown or questionable origin proclaiming John Hanson as the first United States President, first Continental Congress President under the Articles of Confederation, first United States in Congress Assembled President, first President of the Congress of the Confederation, first Black United States President and the pronouncements that Jane Hanson is the first United States First Lady. |
By: Stanley Yavneh Klos
Biographies, articles, genealogical discussions, and other works on John Hanson, particularly regarding his role under the Articles of Confederation, often contain more misleading “facts” than those about any other President of Congress serving from 1774 to 1788. Errors in 21st-century accounts of John Hanson are especially widespread due to major online sources like Wikipedia and the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, which categorize all 14 presiding officers as "Continental Congress Presidents." Recently, Hanson-related myths have reached new extremes, with claims that he was the "First Black President of the United States." Adding to this misrepresentation, the State of Maryland has funded and erected a new “John Hanson First U.S. President Memorial,” which even promotes his wife, Jane, as the first "First Lady” of the United States.
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Proposed Plaque purporting the myth that Jane Hanson is the "First to serve as First Lady of the United States." The plaque is being proposed for the Jane Hanson National Memorial funded by the State of Maryland. |
To counter these and other “Hansonite” myths—"Hansonite" referring to those who promote fables about John Hanson that contradict historical fact—this site was created to clarify and correct misconceptions surrounding USCA President John Hanson’s role. Our aim is to provide well-researched information that dispels the persistent myths and inaccuracies often found in popular and online narratives.
For a comprehensive, historically accurate biography of John Hanson, please visit johnhanson.net, where you’ll find in-depth details about his life, his actual contributions, and his role under the Articles of Confederation. This resource is dedicated to setting the record straight and promoting a clear understanding of Hanson’s place in American history.
Myth I
Was John Hanson the First President of the United States?
Scholars of U.S. presidential history have long examined the distinctions between the modern presidency established by the 1787 U.S. Constitution and the earlier presidential offices that presided over the American Continental Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA). Yet, research on the differences between the presidents of the American Continental Congress (September 5, 1774 – February 28, 1781) and those of the United States in Congress Assembled (the presiding officers serving under the Articles of Confederation from March 1, 1781, to March 3, 1789) remains inadequate. Many works on these early presiding presidents mistakenly lump together the USCA, Colonial, and U.S. Continental Congress Presidents as mere "Continental Congress Presidents," a simplification that fuels misconceptions. This lack of scholarly distinction is a major reason why myths like "John Hanson: The First President of the United States" persist into the 21st century.
The issue at hand centers on the question, "Who was the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled?" (USCA President), rather than "Who was the first President of the United States under the current U.S. Constitution?" (U.S. President).
The office of the USCA President was formally created by Article IX of the Articles of Confederation, which states: “...to appoint one of their members to preside, provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year.” This first U.S. constitution, the Articles of Confederation, defined no executive, legislative, or judicial powers for the USCA President beyond the duty "to preside." Unlike the presidential powers delineated by the current U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Confederation granted no additional authority to the presiding officer, thus establishing a fundamentally different role from that of today’s presidency.
Prior to the Articles of Confederation, Peyton Randolph served as the first presiding president of the United Colonies’ Continental Congress. Following U.S. independence on July 2, 1776, John Hancock became the first president of the United States Continental Congress, although neither held an office established by a ratified constitution. It was not until March 1, 1781, that the Articles of Confederation was ratified establishing a government called "The United States in Congress Assembled. Meanwhile, George Washington, who led as Commander-in-Chief under the Colonial Continental Congress, U.S. Continental Congress, and the United States in Congress Assembled, would later become the first President of the United States under the current U.S. Constitution.
With these distinctions clearly established in historical records, we can now more precisely ask:
Was John Hanson the first United States in Congress Assembled President to serve under the Articles of Confederation?
he notion that John Hanson was the first President of the United States has circulated since the early 20th century. This misconception gained its initial traction when Hanson’s descendants lobbied for his commemoration in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, promoting him as one of Maryland's two most esteemed figures. Their campaign succeeded, and in 1903, a statue of John Hanson along with another of Charles Carroll of Carrollton were installed in the Hall. An “official” acknowledgment of Hanson as the first “President of the United States in Congress Assembled” or “Congress of the Confederation” took place during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on January 31, 1903.
During this event, various U.S. Senators and dignitaries publicly endorsed the idea that Hanson was the first president to serve under the Articles of Confederation, a sentiment documented in Proceedings in the Senate and House of Representatives Upon the Reception and Acceptance from the State of Maryland of the Statues of Charles Carroll of Carrollton and of John Hanson, Erected in Statuary Hall of the Capitol: January 31, 1903. Ordered to be printed by Congress, this 111-page publication by the U.S. Government Printing Office enshrined the myth, largely based on speeches by high-ranking politicians, including Maryland Senator Louis Emory McComas, who erroneously declared Hanson the "first President of the Congress of the Confederation."
This publication contributed significantly to the spread of the “John Hanson First Presidential Myth,” establishing it as a persistent misconception in American political lore.
Speech excerpt of Louis Emory McComas (1846 - 1907), U.S. Senator of Maryland
Additionally, the speech of George Louis Wellington (1852 - 1927), U.S. Senator of Maryland, is often quoted by numerous Hansonites as evidence that the surrender of Cornwallis occurred during John Hanson's Presidency:
John Hanson, of Maryland, was chosen as President, and thus became "President of the United States in Congress Assembled," occupying that exalted position until 1782, during the eventful period when American armies, in conjunction with their French allies, finally triumphed, when beneath the rays of an October sun George Washington received the sword of his captive, Cornwallis ... He was the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled.Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781, when Thomas McKean, not John Hanson, was President of the United States in Congress assembled.
The address of Augustus Octavius Bacon (1839 - 1914), the U.S. Senator from Georgia also adds to the confusion, claiming that John Hanson was the "first President of the United States in Congress Assembled":
Thirty years later, this 1903 Myth inspired journalist Seymour Wemyss Smith to expand the specious rhetoric and write the book John Hanson: Our First President. The book, filled with an enormous amount of misinformation, asserts at the beginning of Chapter Four on page 39:
The Revolution had two distinct and separate phases. One was the military outcome of the war, under the leadership of George Washington. The other was purely political under the leadership of John Hanson.
Since then, National Statuary Hall’s purporting John Hanson as the first President under the Articles of Confederation has been perpetuated by books [7], articles [8], the Library of Congress,[9] the State of Maryland, the Smithsonian Institute [10] and even the U.S. Post Office [11]. It should be noted that Maryland’s dated claims carry great weight with the Federal Government because the major repository for the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration for historic documents and official record storage is located in Rockville, MD.
In the 21st century, Peter H. Michael, President of the John Hanson Memorial Association, has taken the lead in promoting the claim that John Hanson was the first U.S. President. His book, Remembering John Hanson, The First Lincoln: A Biography of the First President of the Original United States Government, has garnered significant media attention, with outlets like NPR and the Military History Channel lending coverage to his dubious assertions, which extend beyond the traditional "First President John Hanson" myth. Despite Wikipedia retracting its support for the notion that Hanson was the nation's first President, Michael still managed to secure a paragraph on Hanson’s Wikipedia page. This section directs readers to the John Hanson Memorial Association's website, which promotes his book and reiterates the claim of Hanson as the country’s inaugural President.
In 2009 the John Hanson Memorial Association was incorporated in Frederick, Maryland to create the John Hanson National Memorial and to both educate Americans about Hanson as well as counter the many myths written about him. The Memorial includes a statue of President John Hanson and an interpretive setting in Frederick, Maryland, where Hanson lived between 1769 and his death in 1783. The Memorial is in the Frederick County Courthouse's courtyard at the corner of Court and West Patrick Streets. Leaders of the Memorial include President Peter Hanson Michael, Vice President Robert Hanson and Directors John Hanson Briscoe and John C. Hanson. - John Hanson Wikipedia page retrieved 2013.
In 2012, the John Hanson Memorial Association unveiled a Maryland-funded, seven-foot statue of John Hanson in his hometown, reinforcing the "First President of the United States" myth. Soon, an additional $35,000 from Maryland’s state budget will finance a monument honoring Jane Hanson as "the nation's first First Lady." Adding to this controversial narrative, a recent history bee in Frederick, Maryland, saw a student clinch victory by answering that “John Hanson was the first President of the United States,” illustrating the ongoing impact of this historical misconception.
Maryland is not alone in claiming that the Articles of Confederation’s United States Republic began on November 5th, 1781. In February, 2004, I had the privilege to contribute Continental Congress and Articles of Confederation primary sources to the Smithsonian traveling exhibit, “A Glorious Burden: The American Presidency.”
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The Smithsonian's traveling exhibit, The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden, originally claimed that the presidency of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation began with John Hanson. In the background of this exhibit, Historic.us has displayed several notable documents, including an 18th-century printing of the United States in Congress Assembled journals, which record John Hanson as the third president under the Articles of Confederation. Other documents include the first public printing of the 1787 U.S. Constitution, a letter from President John Hancock instructing Major General Arthur St. Clair to defend Fort Ticonderoga, a 1777 printing of the Articles of Confederation, and a letter from President Elias Boudinot to Major General St. Clair about Congress’s flight to Princeton during the 1783 United States Army mutiny that surrounded Independence Hall. [14] |
The exhibit originally began with an image of President John Hanson with the Smithsonian stating that "John Hanson of Maryland served as the first president of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1781." [13]
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| Photo Courtesy of Historic.us |
The Smithsonian’s imprimatur of the Hanson Family's claim -- that the Articles of Confederation’s Presidency began on November 5th, 1781 -- went beyond the 1903 speeches at Statuary Hall by pronouncing that the USCA governing body was also the Continental Congress.
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The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden Smithsonian Exhibit Entrance - Photo Courtesy of Historic.us |
Hansonites summarize John Hanson's first U.S. presidential argument as follows:
- The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States of America, which provided for a President to preside over the U.S. unicameral Congressional government.
- Although the constitution was deemed ratified by Congress on March 1, 1781, the Confederation government did not formally take shape until November 5, 1781, when the newly organized United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) met as prescribed by the Articles of Confederation.
- On November 5, 1781, John Hanson was elected as USCA President, making him the first person as president under the constitutional government framework established by the Articles of Confederation
- In contrast, the Congressional session, which convened between March 1, 1781, and November 2, 1781, is considered merely as continuations of the Second Continental Congress, which is a separate entity from the Confederation's USCA government.
- Thus the presiding Presidents, Samuel Huntington and Thomas McKean, are Presidents of the U.S. Continental Congress and not "Presidents of the United States" under the first U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Confederation.
Refutation:
The First Presidents of the United Colonies & States of America
Refutation of the "John Hanson, First US President" Myth
By: Stanley Klos
In 1780, the U.S. Continental Congress was convened with delegates who had all been elected by 12 of the 13 states that had ratified the Articles of Confederation. Only Maryland had failed to approve the Articles of Confederation, choosing to delay the required unanimous ratification until the states agreed to assign their land claims in the Northwest Territory to the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA).
Maryland ratified the Articles of Confederation on February 2nd, 1781, and sent its two elected delegates to assemble with the other state delegations in Congress, which was assembled in Philadelphia. Together, the delegates would decide when to enact the new constitution and thus form the new Articles of Confederation Republic. Article I named the "Confederacy" and Article II named the new governing body:
I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America".
II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.
On February 20th, 1781, Daniel Carroll wrote Charles Carroll of Carrollton on presenting Maryland’s Articles of Confederation ratification resolution to the U.S. Continental Congress in Philadelphia:
On February 22, 1781, it was unanimously resolved by the U.S. Continental Congress that:On the first day of my appearing in Congress, I delivered the Act empowering the Delegates of Maryland to Subscribe the Articles of Confederation &c.! It was read, & entered on the Journals.[15]
The delegates of Maryland having taken their seats in Congress with powers to sign the Articles of Confederation: Ordered, That Thursday next [March 1, 1781] be assigned for compleating the Confederation; and that a committee of three be appointed, to consider and report a mode for announcing the same to the public: the members, [Mr. George] Walton, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [John] Mathews.
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Thursday, March 1, 1781: "According to the order of the day, the honble John Hanson and Daniel Carroll, two of the delegates for the State of Maryland, in pursuance of the act of the legislature of that State, entitled "An act to empower the delegates of this State in Congress to subscribe and ratify the Articles of Confederation," which was read in Congress the 12 of February last, and a copy thereof entered on the minutes, did, in behalf of the said State of Maryland, sign and ratify the said articles, by which act the Confederation of the United States of America was completed, each and every of the Thirteen United States, from New Hampshire to Georgia, both included, having adopted and confirmed, and by their delegates in Congress, ratified the same, as follows:" [Journals continue with the full printing of the Articles of Confederation and its signers]. Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
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March 12, 1781 Treasury letter referring to Samuel Huntington as "His Excellency, President of the United States in Congress Assembled." - Image Courtesy of Historic.us |
IN pursuance of an Act of the Legislature of Maryland, intituled, 'An Act to empower the Delegates of the State in Congress to subscribe and ratify the Articles of Confederation,' the Delegates of the said State, on Thursday last, at twelve o, signed and ratified the Articles of Confederation; by which act the Confederation of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA was compleated, each and every of the Thirteen States, from New Hampshire to George, both included, having adopted and confirmed, and by their Delegates in Congress ratified the same.
This happy event was immediately announced to the public by the discharge of the artillery on land, and the cannon of the shipping in the river Delaware. At two his Excellency the President of Congress received on this occasion the congratulations of the Hon. the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, and of the Legislative and Executive Bodies of this State, of the Civil and Military Officers, sundry strangers of distinction in town, and of many of the principal inhabitants.
The evening was closed by an elegant exhibition of fireworks. The Ariel frigate, commanded by the gallant John Paul Jones, fired a feu de joye, and was beautifully decorated with a variety of streamers in the day, and ornamented with a brilliant appearance of lights in the night.
Thus will the first of March, 1781, be a day memorable in the annals of America, for the final ratification of the Confederation and perpetual Union of the Thirteen States of America --- A Union, begun by necessity, cemented by oppression and common danger, and now finally consolidated into a perpetual confederacy of these new and rising States: And thus the United States of America, having, amidst the calamities of a destructive war, established a solid foundation of greatness, are growing up into consequence among the nations, while their haughty enemy, Britain, with all her boasted wealth and grandeur, instead of bringing them to her feet and reducing them to unconditional submission, finds her hopes blasted, her power crumbling to pieces, and the empire which, with overbearing insolence and brutality she exercised on the ocean, divided among her insulted neighbours.
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Title Page of The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. This edition title page differentiates between the Journals of the Congress, which expire March 1, 1781, and the Journals of the United States in Congress Assembled commencing on March 2, 1781 after the enactment of the Articles of Confederation - Historic.us Collection
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March 2, 1781 Entry of The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. This entry reports that a new entity, The United States in Congress Assembled, now governs the United States of America -- Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
On March 2nd, 1781, Secretary Charles Thomson placed the words "The United States in Congress Assembled" at the head of the new Journal of Congress and the minutes began:
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...[16]
With the U.S. Continental Congress dissolved and the first U.S. Constitution now in effect, the United States in Congress Assembled government was immediately challenged with the fact that the Articles of Confederation required that both New Hampshire and Rhode Island, states with only one delegate physically present in the USCA, be excluded from voting in the new assembly. This was particularly dicey because, the day before, the two delegates had voted, as members of the Continental Congress, on numerous Treasury and Board of War resolutions required to conduct the war against Great Britain. Delaware Delegate Thomas Rodney, in his diary’s entry dated March 2nd, 1781, explained the conundrum faced by the USCA on Delegate voting in the new Congress:
The States of New Hampshire and Rhode Island having each but one Member in Congress, they became unrepresented by the Confirmation of the Confederation-By which not more than Seven nor less than two Members is allowed to represent any State -Whereupon General Sullivan, Delegate from New Hampshire moved - That Congress would appoint a Committee of the States, and Adjourn till those States Could Send forward a Sufficient number of Delegates to represent them-Or that they would allow their Delegates now in Congress To give the Vote of the States until one More from each of those States was Sent to Congress to Make their representation Complete.
He alleged that it was but just for Congress to do one or the other of them-for that the act of Congress by completing the Confederation ought not to deprive those States of their representation without giving them due Notice, as their representation was complete before, & that they did not know When the Confederation Would be Completed. Therefore if the Confederation put it out of the power of Congress to Allow the States vote in Congress because there was but one member from each them, they ought in justice to those States to appoint a Committee of the States, in which they would have an Equal Voice. This Motion was Seconded by Genl. Vernon from Rhode Island and enforced by Arguments to the same purpose.But all their Arguments were ably confuted by Mr. Burke of N.C. and others, and the absurdity of the motion fully pointed out, So that the question passed off without a Division -But it was the general Opinion of Congress that those members might Continue to Sit in Congress, and Debate & Serve on Committees though they could not give the vote of their States.
It was unanimously agreed by the USCA that the Articles of Confederation was in full force and for a State to have a vote in the new Congress, unlike the U.S. Continental Congress, two or more delegates were required in accordance with Article V: "No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor more than seven members."
The Articles of Confederation government was thus deemed to be in full force by the USCA, with Samuel Huntington, not John Hanson, as the President. As proof that Samuel Huntington's USCA was obliged to comply with the Articles of Confederation, below is an image of two different entries from the Journals of Congress.
The Articles of Confederation government was thus deemed to be in full force by the USCA, with Samuel Huntington, not John Hanson, as the President. As proof that Samuel Huntington's USCA was obliged to comply with the Articles of Confederation, below is an image of two different entries from the Journals of Congress.
The first entry is from the December 24th, 1778, Continental Congress vote tally taken while President Henry Laurens was presiding. The states of New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Georgia each had only one delegate present, and the States' votes of "ay" were registered as "ay" in the tally:
The second entry is from the March 22nd, 1781, United States in Congress Assembled vote tally taken while President Samuel Huntington was presiding. The states of New Hampshire, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Georgia each had only one delegate present, and the States' votes of "ay" were registered as " * " having no effect in the tally under the Articles of Confederation:
As a final "voting proof" that President Samuel Huntington presided as the first USCA President, here is a third entry from November 14th, 1781, of a United States in Congress Assembled vote tally taken while President John Hanson was presiding. The states of Connecticut and North Carolina each had only one delegate present, and the States' votes of "ay" were again registered as " * ", having no effect in the tally:
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Thursday, December 24, 1778 Journals of Congress entry of the US Continental Congress vote on " the support of the charge against Brigadier Thompson, be rejected, and that the deposition of Colonel Noarth, produced last night by Brigadier Thompson in his own exculpation from the charge, be also rejected ... passed in the negative" Journals of Congress Containing the proceedings from January 1st, 1779 to Jan. 1st, 1780 PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF Congress, Philadelphia, by David Claypoole, VOLUME V. -- Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
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Thursday, MARCH 22, 1781 Journals of Congress entry of the USCA vote "Resolved, That there be one deputy director of the military hospitals,in the Southern district subject to the general control of the director... So it passed in the negative." The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. -- Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
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Wednesday, November 14, 1781 Journals of Congress entry of the USCA vote "That the first Tuesday of December next, be assigned for the consideration of the report of the committee, to whom were referred the cessions of New York, Virginia, Connecticut, and the petitions of the Indiana, Vandalia, Illionois, and Wabash companies. A motion was made by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Varnum, to amend, by adding, "provided that eleven states shall be then represented." On the question to agree to the amendment, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Varnum, ... So it passed in the negative." The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. -- Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
Samuel Huntington would continue as USCA President for four months, issuing letters, resolutions, military commissions and even USCA Proclamations as President, such as this one calling for the first national "Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer" under the ratified Articles of Confederation:
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The United States in Congress Assembled, March 20th, 1781, Proclamation signed by Samuel Huntington as President, calling for the first National "Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer" under the Articles of Confederation - in part: The United States in Congress assembled, therefore do earnestly recommend, that Thursday the third day of May next, may be observed as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer, that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and through the merits of our blessed Saviour, obtain pardon and forgiveness: |
On May 4th, 1781, after three months of committee work and a final debate, the United States in Congress Assembled approved the thirty-five rules for conducting the nation’s business under the Articles of Confederation, with John Hanson absent from the congress. The new rules stripped the Presidential office of its important political power to choose when and what matter came before the United States in Congress Assembled. It is no wonder that President Samuel Huntington resigned and on July 8th, 1781, Delegate Thomas McKean would write to Samuel Adams, about the upcoming presidential election as "this honor is going a begging; there is only one Gentleman, and he from the Southward, who seems willing to accept, but I question whether he will be elected."
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Rules for Conduction Business, in the United States in Congress Assembled dated May 4th, 1781, in this entry of The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. This entry reports the that new governing entity, The United States in Congress Assembled, now governs the United States of America -- Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
Rules for Conducting Business in the United States in Congress Assembled. May 4th, 1781
1. As soon as seven states are met the President may assume the chair, upon which the members shall take their seats.
2. The minutes of the preceding day shall then be read, and after that the public letters, petitions and memorials, if any have been received or presented.
3. Every letter, petition or memorial read, on which no order is moved, shall of course be considered as ordered to lie on the table, and may be taken up at any future time.
4. After the public dispatches, &c., the reports of committees which may have been delivered by them to the secretary during that morning or the preceding day shall, for the information of the house, be read in the order in which they were delivered, and, if it is judged proper, a day be assigned for considering them.
5. After the public letters, &c., are read, and orders given concerning them, the reports of the Board of Treasury and of the Board of War, if any, shall be taken into consideration; but none of those subjects for the determination of which the assent of nine states is requisite shall be agitated or debated, except when nine states or more are assembled. When a doubt is raised whether any motion or question is of the number of those for the determination of which in the affirmative the articles of confederation require the assent of nine states, the votes and assent of nine states shall always be necessary to solve that doubt, and to determine upon such motions or questions.
6. When a report, which has been read and lies for consideration, is called for it shall immediately be taken up. If two or more are called for, the titles of the several reports shall be read, and then the President shall put the question beginning with the first called for, but there shall be no debate, and the votes of a majority of the states present shall determine which is to be taken up.
7. An order of the day, when called for by a State shall always have the preference and shall not be postponed but by the votes of a majority of the United States in Congress assembled.
8. When a report is brought forward for consideration it shall first be read over and then debated by paragraphs and each paragraph shall be subject to amendments. If it relates only to one subject being in the nature of an ordinance it shall be subject to such additions as may be judged proper to render it complete and then it shall be read over as it stands amended and a question taken upon the whole: But if it comprehends different subjects, independent one of another, in the form of distinct acts or resolutions a question shall be taken on each and finally a question on the whole.
9. No motion shall be received unless it be made or Negatived, seconded by a state. When any ordinance is introduced by report or otherwise, it shall be read a first time for the information of the house without debate. The President shall then put the following question "Shall this ordinance be read a second time." If it passes in the affirmative then a time shall be appointed for that purpose when it shall be read and debated by paragraphs and when gone through, the question shall be "Shall this ordinance be read a third time"; if agreed to, and a time appointed, it shall be accordingly read by paragraphs, and if necessary debated, and when gone through the question shall be "Shall this ordinance pass", if the vote is in the affirmative, a fair copy shall then be made out by the Secretary, either on parchment or paper and signed by the President and attested by the Secretary in Congress and recorded in the Secretary's office.
10. When a motion is made and seconded it shall be repeated by the President or If he or any other member desire being in writing it shall be delivered to the President in writing and read aloud at the table before it, shall be debated.
11. Every motion shall be reduced to writing and read at the table before it is debated if the President or any member require it.
12. After a motion is repeated by the President or read at the table it shall then be in the possession of the house, but may at any time before decision, be withdrawn, with the consent of a majority of the states present.
13. No member shall speak more than twice in any one debate on the same day, with-out leave of the house, nor shall any member speak twice in a debate until every member, who chooses, shall have spoken once on the same.
14. Before an original motion shall be brought before the house, it shall be entered in a book to be kept for the purpose and to lie on the table for the inspection of the members, and the time shall be mentioned underneath when the motion is to be made, that the members may some prepared and nothing he brought on hastily or by surprise.
15. When a question is before the house and under debate, no motion shall be received unless for amending it, for the previous question, or to postpone the consideration of the main question or to commit it.
16. No new motion or proposition shall be admitted under color of amendment as a substitute for the question or proposition under debate until it is postponed or disagreed to.
17. When a motion is made to amend by striking out certain words, whether for the purpose of inserting other words or not, the first question shall be "Shall the words moved to be struck out stand?"
18. The previous question (which is always to be understood in this sense that the main question be not now put) shall only be admitted when in the judgment of two states at least, the subject moved is in its nature or from the circumstances of time or place improper to be debated or decided, and shall therefore preclude all amendments and farther debates on the subject, until it is decided.
19. A motion for commitment shall also have preference and preclude all amendments and debates on the subject until it shall be decided.
20. On motions for the previous question for committing or for postponing no member shall speak more than once without leave of the house.
21. When any subject shall be deemed so important as to require mature discussionor deliberation before it be submitted to the decision of the United States in Congress assembled, it shall be referred to the consideration of a grand committee consisting of one member present from each State, and in such case each State shall nominate its member. But the United States in Congress assembled shall in no case whatever be resolved into a committee of the whole. Every member may attend the debates of a grand committee and for that purpose the time and place of its meeting shall be fixed by the United States in Congress assembled.
22. The states shall ballot for small committees, but if upon counting the ballots, the number required shall not be elected by a majority of the United States in Congress assembled, the President shall name the members who have been balloted for, and the house shall by a vote or votes determine the committee.
23. If a question under debate contains several points any member may have it divided.
24. When a question is about to be put, it shall be in the power of any one of the states to postpone the determination thereof until the next day, and in such case, unless it shall be further postponed by order of the house the question shall, the next day immediately after reading the public dispatches, &c. and before the house go upon other business, be put without any debate, provided there be a sufficient number of states present to determine it; if that should not be the case, it shall be put without debate as soon as a sufficient number shall have assembled.
25. If any member choose to have the yeas and nays taken upon any question, he shall move for the same previous to the President's putting the question and in such case every member present shall openly and without debate declare by ay or no his assent or dissent to the question.
26. When an ordinance act or resolution is introduced with a preamble, the ordinance, act or resolution shall be first debated, and after it is passed, the preamble if judged necessary shall be adapted thereto: But if the preamble states some matter or thing as fact to which the house do not agree by general consent, and the ordinance, act or resolution is grounded thereon, the preamble shall be withdrawn or the fact resolved on as it appears to the house previous to any debate on the ordinance act or resolution; and if the fact shall not be established to the satisfaction of a majority of the United States in Congress assembled, the ordinance, act or resolution shall fall of course.
27. Every member when he chooses to speak shall rise and address the President. When two members chance to rise at the same time, the President shall name the person who is to speak first. Every member both in debate, and while the states are assembled shall conduct himself with the utmost decency and decorum. If any member shall transgress, the President shall call to order. In case the disorder be continued or repeated the President may name the person transgressing. Any member may call to order.
28. When a member is called to order, he shall immediately sit down. If he has been named as a transgressor, his conduct shall be inquired into and he shall be liable to a censure.
29. When a question of order is moved, the President if he is in doubt may call for the judgment of the house, otherwise he shall in the first instance give a decision, and an appeal shall lie to the house, but there shall be no debate on questions of order,except that a member called to order for irregular or unbecoming conduct or for improper expressions may be allowed to explain.
30. A motion to adjourn may be made at any time and shall always be in order, and the question thereon shall always be put without any debate.
31. No member shall leave Congress without permission of Congress or of his constituents.
32. No member shall read any printed paper in the house during the sitting thereof.
33. On every Monday after reading and taking order on the public dispatches a committee of three shall be appointed, who shall every morning during the week report to Congress the orders necessary to be made on such dispatches as may be received during the adjournment or sitting of Congress, upon which no orders shall have been made. The members of such Committee not to be eligible a second time until all the other members have served.
34. The habit of a member of Congress in future shall be a plain purple gown with open-sleeves, plaited at the bend of the arm. And that no member be allowed to sit in Congress without such habit.
35. The members of each state shall sit together in Congress, for the more ready conference with each other on any question above be taken that the house might not be disturbed by the members moving Postponed. from one part to another to conferone the vote to be given. That for the better observance of order, New Hampshire shall sit on the left hand of the President and on every question be first called, and each state from thence to Georgia shall take their seats in the order that their states are situated to each other. The delegates of the respective states to sit in their order of seniority.
In addition to the mountains of primary sources recording Samuel Huntington's service as the first Articles of Confederation President, the USCA Journals report that there were two presidential elections occurring before John Hanson's Presidency and just after Huntington's resignation.
The first presidential election under the Articles of Confederation occurred
on July 9th, 1781, and North Carolina Delegate Samuel Johnston was chosen the
successor to the ailing Samuel
Huntington. The following day, however, Johnston refused
the office.
The handwritten July 9th, 1781,
Journals of the USCA do record that the following measure was passed after
Johnston’s election and thus, if he took the chair, he was
technically USCA President for a day:
The honble. Samuel Johnston was elected.
A letter of this day, from the superintendant of finance was
read:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. Mathews, Mr. Carroll, Mr. Sullivan.
The members, Mr. Mathews, Mr. Carroll, Mr. Sullivan.
Historians, however, conclude
that Samuel Johnston did not take the chair after his election on July 9th,
1781, as the business was so brief that it was not recorded in numerous print
issues of the Journals. The chair, they reason, must have remained with
the Delegate or the USCA Secretary that was designated to preside over the
election. This conclusion is substantiated by the Journals of the USCA
reporting that, the following day, Samuel Johnston “declined” rather
than "resigned" the office of President:
Mr. [Samuel] Johnston having declined to accept the office of President, and offered such reasons as were satisfactory, the House proceeded to another election; and, the ballots being taken, the Hon. Thomas McKean was elected. [17]
Delegate Thomas McKean accepted the USCA Presidential office and began to preside over Congress on July 10th, 1781, four months before John Hanson was elected to the USCA Presidency.
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USCA Journals 1781 printing open to the July 9 & 10th, 1781 entries recording the elections of Samuel Johnston and Thomas McKean as Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled four months before John Hanson's Presidency. - Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection. |
President Thomas McKean, like Samuel Huntington, executed numerous resolutions, proclamations, and letters as the second USCA President to serve under the Articles of Confederation. Below is the image of the September 7th, 1781, Journals entry recording a Thomas McKean resolution signature as USCA President.
On October 23, 1781, President Thomas McKean submitted his letter of resignation:
Sir: I must beg you to remind Congress, that when they did me the honor of electing me President, and before I assumed the Chair, I informed them, that as Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, I should be under the necessity of attending the Supreme Court of that State, the latter end of September, or at farthest in October. That court will be held today; I must therefore request, that they will be pleased to proceed to the choice of another President.
I am, sir, with much respect, your most obedient humble servant,
Thos. McKean.The United States in Congress Assembled resolved: "That the resignation of Mr. [Thomas] McKean is accepted. Ordered, That the election of a President be postponed until to-morrow." The following day Secretary Charles Thomson presented Commander-in-Chief George Washington's letter to Congress, "giving information of the reduction of the British army under the command of the Earl of Cornwallis, on the 19th instant with a copy of the articles of capitulation."
The USCA resolved, among other resolutions, that:
Unanimously, That Mr. [Thomas] McKean be requested to resume the chair, and act as President till the first Monday in November next; the resolution of yesterday notwithstanding.
That it be an instruction to the said committee, to report what in their opinion, will be the most proper mode of communicating the thanks of the United States in Congress Assembled, to General Washington, Count de Rochambeau and Count de Grasse, for their effectual exertions in accomplishing this illustrious work; and of paying respect to the merit of Lieutenant Colonel Tilghman, aid-de-camp of General Washington, and the bearer of his despatches announcing this happy event"
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October 24th, 1781 Journals of the United States in Congress Assembled concerning. President Thomas McKean's letter of resignation, News of Yorktown, and United States in Congress Assembled resolutions of thanks -The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson - Image Courtesy of Historic.us |
The war, effectively, ended with the Yorktown victory and Delaware Delegate Thomas McKean agreed to remain President, while serving as Pennsylvania's Chief Justice, until the second United States in Congress Assembled convened on the "first Monday of November" as prescribed in the Articles of Confederation.
On Saturday, November 3rd, 1781, the first USCA held its last session resolving “that the several matters now before Congress be referred over, and recommended to the attention of the United States in Congress Assembled, to meet at this place on Monday next.” Two days later, on November 5th, at the convening of the second USCA under the Articles of Confederation, the credentials of the Delegates were entered into the record and a President was elected. The Journals of Congress report:
Their credentials being read, Congress proceeded to the election of a President; and the ballots being taken, the honorable John Hanson was elected.[27]
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November 5, 1781 - Journals of the United States in Congress Assembled - "Congress proceeded to the election of President; and the ballots being taken, The honorable, John Hanson elected" - The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. - Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection |
This entry in the Journals of Congress recording that the Delegates presented their credentials and were duly elected after the Articles of Confederation were enacted is what the Hansonites primarily hang their hat on declaring that "John Hanson was the First President of the United States." The John Hanson Memorial Association (JHMA) goes even further naming Presidents Samuel Huntington and Thomas McKean's USCA "an interim Congress of the Confederation." On JHMA's John Hanson timeline they write:
The specious claims made in this brief JHMA published timeline are numerous. Most of this and other John Hanson First US President myths can be debunked by refuting the following Hansonite claim:
Myth Part One: "The ratified Articles of Confederation required that the first USCA could only form on the first Monday of November 1781."
The Articles of Confederation says nothing about when the first USCA must form. What Article IX, in the Articles of Confederation does state is:
"On March 2, 1781, the Second Continental Congress is succeeded by the interim Congress of the Confederation with scant powers with the same delegates and officers as from the Second Continental Congress." On November 4th the Confederation goes out of existence to be replaced by the United States in Congress Assembled ... November 5, 1781, the United States in Congress Assembled, the nation's first government, springs into being ... as its first act, the new United States in Congress Assembled unanimously elects John Hanson of Frederick, Maryland, to a one year term as the nation's first president. Hanson becomes first president under any form of the United States government elected to a stated fixed term. President Hanson becomes first in the nation's history to be recognized at home or abroad as head of state."
JMHA's John Hanson Timeline from March 1 - November 5, 1781
The specious claims made in this brief JHMA published timeline are numerous. Most of this and other John Hanson First US President myths can be debunked by refuting the following Hansonite claim:
The United States in Congress Assembled did not commence its first session until a congress of delegates, duly elected after the March 1st 1781, enactment of the Articles of Confederation, formed on the first Monday of November 1781.It is prudent to address this claim in its two parts.
Myth Part One: "The ratified Articles of Confederation required that the first USCA could only form on the first Monday of November 1781."
The Articles of Confederation says nothing about when the first USCA must form. What Article IX, in the Articles of Confederation does state is:
V. For the most convenient management of the general interests of the United States, delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislatures of each State shall direct, to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power reserved to each State to recall its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead for the remainder of the year.This does not mean, however, that the only time the first or a new United States in Congress Assembled could initially convene was on the first Monday in November. If we examine the USCA Congressional start dates in its nine sessions, the Journals of Congress record only three sessions convening on the "First Monday in November." Five sessions convened after the "First Monday in November" to conduct the nation's business. The 9th Session failed, after several attempts, to convene at all.
The first USCA was one of the five sessions that convened late because the Articles of Confederation was not ratified in time to begin its 1780-1781 session on the First Monday in November." Here is the list of the Eight USCA Sessions, dates and Presidents:
USCA Sessions 1781 to 1789
- First USCA 1780-1781, convened March 2, 1781 - Samuel Huntington and Thomas McKean Presidents*
- Second USCA 1781-1782, convened November 5, 1781 - John Hanson President
- Third USCA 1782-1783, convened November 4, 1782 - Elias Boudinot President
- Fourth USCA 1783-1784, convened November 3, 1783 - Thomas Mifflin President
- Fifth USCA 1784-1785, convened November 29, 1784 - Richard Henry Lee President
- Sixth USCA 1785-1786, convened November 23, 1785 -John Hancock and Nathaniel Gorham Presidents
- Seventh USCA 1786-1787, convened February 2, 1787 - Arthur St. Clair President
- Eighth USCA 1787-1788, convened January 21, 1788 - Cyrus Griffin President
- Ninth USCA 1788-1789, failed to convene after several attempts
*Samuel Johnston was also elected to the First USCA Presidency but the following day declined the office.
Regarding the timing of Congress’s first convening, Article I, Section 4 of the current U.S. Constitution specifies, “… The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December…”. Yet, after months of debate, the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) decided on September 13, 1788, to initiate the new government under the Constitution with a start date different from the December requirement. Instead, the USCA resolved that the new constitutional Congress would convene on March 4, 1789.
Between March and December 1789, this Congress convened and enacted foundational U.S. legislation, including a resolution proposing 12 amendments to the 1787 Constitution. By 1791, amendments 2-12 were ratified by the States, becoming the first ten amendments, or the "Bill of Rights." By the logic of Hansonites—who argue that the first USCA, having convened on March 1, 1781, rather than the first Monday in November, was not fully legitimate—this inaugural bicameral Congress of 1789 would also be deemed inauthentic because it met on March 4 instead of the first Monday in December. This reasoning borders on the absurd.
The fact that the U.S. Continental Congress implemented the Articles of Confederation government on March 1, 1781, rather than on the first Monday in November, does not undermine its status as the first USCA Congress or make it any less legitimate than the 1781-1782 USCA session. Just as the 1787-1788 USCA was responsible for establishing the federal government under the new Constitution and set March 4, 1789, as its start date (following state ratifications in June 1788), the Continental Congress had the duty to launch the government under the Articles of Confederation and chose March 1, 1781, after its ratification on February 2, 1781. Therefore, it is unreasonable to claim that the Articles required the U.S. Continental Congress to initiate the USCA government on November 5, 1781, specifically. The USCA session from March 1 to November 2, 1781, was indeed the first, with Samuel Huntington serving as its inaugural President.
Hansonite Myth Part Two: The Articles of Confederation Required Appointment of New Delegates Post-Implementation
The claim that the Articles of Confederation mandated states to appoint new delegates specifically after its enactment on March 1, 1781, is unfounded, as no such requirement appears in the Articles. However, even if we were to assume this interpretation is accurate, the 1781-1782 USCA session under President John Hanson would still fall short of meeting this supposed standard.
Records from the Journals of Congress reveal that, on November 5, 1781, the Delaware delegation’s credentials were already outdated. Delaware’s delegates had been appointed on February 10, 1781—18 days before the Articles’ March 1 ratification. The credentials presented for Delaware in the November 5 session are recorded as follows:
"In the general assembly of the Delaware State, at New Castle, Saturday, A.M. February 10, 1781. The Council and House of Assembly, having met in the State-House, agreeable to the Order of the Day, proceeded, by joint Ballot, to the Election of Delegates to represent this State in the Congress of the United States of America, for the ensuing year, and the Box containing the Ballots being examined, The Honorable Thomas Rodney, Thomas McKean and Nicholas Vandyke, Esquires, are declared duly elected. Extract from the Minutes, James Booth Clerk of Assembly."
Even Maryland’s delegation—John Hanson’s own state—would not meet this Hansonite “test,” as its delegates were appointed on February 3, 1781, 25 days prior to the Articles’ enactment. Maryland’s credentials, presented on November 5, 1781, are recorded as:
"Maryland, Annapolis 3 Feb. 1781. We hereby certify that John Hanson, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Daniel Carroll and Richard Potts Esquires are elected Delegates to represent this State in Congress for the Year One thousand seven hundred and Eighty one. -James Maccubbin, Clerk."
If Hansonite advocates, including Maryland’s Legislature, were to assert that a USCA could only consist of delegates appointed after February 2, 1781 (the date Maryland’s ratification completed the Articles’ unanimous approval), additional discrepancies emerge:
- Pennsylvania’s credentials, as recorded on November 5, 1781, date to “In the General Assembly, Thursday 23rd. November 1780.”
- New Hampshire’s credentials, similarly noted on November 5, 1781, were issued “In Council January 18th, 1781.”
Thus, under Hansonite reasoning, both Pennsylvania and New Hampshire would lack qualification for the November 5, 1781, USCA session and its election of John Hanson as President. Excluding these delegates would mean only six states were present, falling short of the Articles’ requirement for seven states, each with two or more delegates, to convene the USCA. This logic implies that Hanson’s presidency, like those of Samuel Huntington and Thomas McKean, would be classified as an interim “Congress of the Confederation” presidency—a result that is, while interesting, ultimately absurd.
In reality, all delegates present on both March 2 and November 5, 1781, were duly credentialed after their respective states ratified the Articles of Confederation. Consequently, Samuel Huntington, Thomas McKean, and John Hanson each served as legitimate USCA Presidents, presiding over delegates whose appointments were in compliance with their states' ratifications of the Articles.
Additional JMHA Assertions Regarding John Hanson
Among the many claims made by the John Hanson Memorial Association (JHMA) timeline, one that stands out as potentially reasonable—though still inaccurate—is the assertion that Hanson was the “first president under any form of the United States government elected to a stated fixed term.” This interpretation misrepresents the nature of the USCA presidency's term limits.
Under the Articles of Confederation, presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) were restricted to a single year of service within a three-year period, per Article IX, which states that Congress has the authority:
“to appoint one of their members to preside, provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year in any term of three years.”
Thus, the USCA presidency did not operate on a “fixed term” as understood in the current U.S. presidency established by the 1787 Constitution. USCA presidents could serve across two different congressional sessions as long as their total service did not exceed 365 days. A notable example of this flexibility is seen in Cyrus Griffin’s presidency. Elected by the 8th USCA Congress on January 21, 1788, Griffin continued as president even after the 9th USCA Congress failed to convene on the “first Monday in November” 1788. Because Griffin’s tenure had not reached 365 days, he remained in office, although by January 21, 1789, he had reached the 366-day limit and his term formally expired.
Nevertheless, due to the lack of quorum in the 9th USCA, Griffin remained the de facto final president under the Articles until George Washington’s inauguration, when Congress arranged seating for him among other dignitaries in recognition of his status as “the late President of the United States in Congress Assembled.”
Evidence Supporting Thomas McKean as the Second USCA President
The case for Thomas McKean as the second USCA president is further substantiated by correspondence from John Hanson himself. In a letter dated November 10, 1781, Hanson extends the “official thanks” of Congress to McKean for his service as president:
“It is always a pleasing task to pay a just tribute to distinguished Merit. Under this impression, give me leave to assure you, that it is with inexpressible satisfaction that I present you the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, in testimony of their approbation of your conduct in the Chair and in the execution of public business; a duty I am directed to perform by their Act of the 7th instant, a copy of which I have the honor of enclosing.When I reflect upon the great abilities, the exemplary patience, and unequalled skill and punctuality, which you so eminently displayed in executing the important duties of a President, it must unavoidably be productive of great apprehensions in the one who has the honor of being your Successor. But the Choice of Congress obliges me for a moment to be silent on the subject of my own inability: And altho’ I cannot equal the bright example that is recently set me, yet it shall be my unremitting study to imitate it as far as possible; and in doing this the reflection is pleasing that I shall invariably pursue the sacred path of Virtue, which alone ought to preserve me free from censure.”
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John Hanson autographed letter signed as President, dated November 10th, 1781, issuing the “official thanks” of the USCA to Thomas McKean for his service as President of the United States in Congress Assembled, page 2. - Image taken by Stan Klos at Library of Congress, 2001 |
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John Hanson autographed letter signed as President, dated November 10th, 1781, issuing the “official thanks” of the USCA to Thomas McKean for his service as President of the United States in Congress Assembled, page 2. - Image taken by Stan Klos at Library of Congress, 2001 |
This letter serves as compelling evidence that McKean, who preceded Hanson, was recognized by Congress as a president of the USCA. The acknowledgment from Hanson emphasizes McKean’s significant contributions and underscores the continuity of presidential service within the USCA.
Conclusion:
The historical evidence presented above clearly establishes that the Articles of Confederation government was officially enacted on March 1, 1781, not on November 5, 1781, as argued by Seymour Weiss, the John Hanson Memorial Association, the current Maryland Legislature, and others.
Accordingly, Samuel Huntington, not John Hanson, holds the distinction of being the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) under the Articles of Confederation. Thomas McKean, elected on July 10, 1781, served as the second USCA President under the Articles, and John Hanson, elected on November 5, 1781, served as the third.
Articles of Confederation Congress
United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) Sessions
USCA | Session Dates | USCA Convene Date | President(s) |
First | 03-01-1781 to 11-04-1781* | 03-02-1781 | |
Second | 11-05-1781 to 11-03-1782 | 11-05-1781 | |
Third | 11-04-1782 to 11-02-1783 | 11-04-1782 | |
Fourth | 11-03-1783 to 10-31-1784 | 11-03-1783 | |
Fifth | 11-01-1784 to 11-06-1785 | 11-29-1784 | |
Sixth | 11-07-1785 to 11-05-1786 | 11-23-1785 | |
Seventh | 11-06-1786 to 11-04-1787 | 02-02-1787 | |
Eighth | 11-05-1787 to 11-02-1788 | 01-21-1788 | |
Ninth | 11-03-1788 to 03-03-1789** | None | None |
* The Articles of Confederation was ratified by the mandated 13th State on February 2, 1781, and the dated adopted by the Continental Congress to commence the new United States in Congress Assembled government was March 1, 1781. The USCA convened under the Articles of Confederation Constitution on March 2, 1781.
** On September 14, 1788, the Eighth United States in Congress Assembled resolved that March 4th, 1789, would be commencement date of the Constitution of 1787's federal government thus dissolving the USCA on March 3rd, 1789.
Myth II
Myth Two: The John Hanson Memorial Association’s Overreaching Claims about Hanson’s Presidency
The John Hanson Memorial Association (JHMA) and other "Hansonites" make exaggerated claims that elevate John Hanson far beyond being the first president under the Articles of Confederation. One of their most ambitious assertions is that “the American Revolution had two primary leaders: George Washington in the military sphere, and John Hanson in politics.” This claim is demonstrably false. Hanson assumed office only after General Cornwallis's defeat at Yorktown, and George Washington had already served under five prior “war presidents” before Hanson’s tenure.
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| Commander-in-Chief George Washington |
“While all other presidents of the first government and those under the Constitution inherited a functioning government, Hanson and his cabinet had to fashion one anew from whole cloth. … Cabinet positions were created in the order of Foreign Affairs, Finance and War, today’s Secretaries of State, Treasury and Defense, the hierarchy followed in modern protocol and presidential succession. … Weeks into Hanson’s administration, the nation’s first central bank, the Bank of North America, predecessor to today’s Federal Reserve, began operation near Independence Hall.”
A quick review of the Journals of the Continental Congress reveals that these claims are inaccurate and misleading. Neither Hanson nor the USCA delegates appointed “cabinet” positions as part of a government created “from whole cloth,” nor did they create offices that would evolve into the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, or Secretary of Defense.
Here are the verifiable facts:
Foreign Affairs – The Department of Foreign Affairs was established by the Continental Congress on January 10, 1781, with Samuel Huntington serving as president at that time. Robert R. Livingston was appointed as the first Secretary of Foreign Affairs on August 10, 1781, during the presidency of Thomas McKean, not John Hanson.
Finance – The office of Superintendent of Finance was created by the Continental Congress on February 7, 1781, and Robert Morris was unanimously appointed as its first superintendent on February 10, 1781. Samuel Huntington, not John Hanson, was president when this position was created and filled.
War – The office of Secretary of War was filled on October 30, 1781, when Benjamin Lincoln was elected to the role under the Articles. This election occurred while Thomas McKean was president, not Hanson.
Treasury – Although a U.S. Treasury office existed, it was not the equivalent of today’s Secretary of the Treasury. The office of Treasurer was established on July 29, 1775, when the Continental Congress appointed Michael Hillegas and George Clymer as joint treasurers, with John Hancock serving as president at that time. Later, on May 14, 1777, Michael Hillegas was designated as the sole Treasurer of the United States. On September 1, 1781, the Treasury was reorganized, and on September 19, Michael Hillegas was reappointed as Treasurer under the Articles, with Thomas McKean as president. The Department of the Treasury, as it exists today, was only formally established on September 2, 1789, by Congress under the U.S. Constitution, and its first Secretary, Samuel Meredith, was appointed by President George Washington.
Secretary of State – The position of Secretary of State was not created until the Department of Foreign Affairs was renamed in 1789 under the new U.S. Constitution. However, the office of Secretary to the Continental Congress was established on September 5, 1774, with Charles Thomson serving as its first and only secretary through multiple forms of government until March 3, 1789.
Furthermore, although the Bank of North America, which began operation near Independence Hall during Hanson’s tenure, is often cited as part of his accomplishments, the bank was first chartered by the USCA on May 26, 1781, when Samuel Huntington was still president.
These historical facts, all verifiable through the Library of Congress online Journals of Congress, dispel the myths promoted by Hansonites and show that none of the offices or appointments claimed by the Frederick News-Post article originated during Hanson’s presidency. Instead, they were created by prior administrations under different leaders, underscoring that Hanson’s role did not encompass the sweeping governmental formation that his proponents claim.
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Resolved that Congress do approve the plan for establishing a national bank in these United States, Submitted to their consideration by Mr. R. Morris the 17th May 1781... So it was Resolved in the Affirmative. The Journals of Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled, For the Year 1781, Published By Order of Congress, Volume VII New York: Printed by John Patterson. - Image courtesy of the Historic.us Collection |
The claim that John Hanson appointed Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay, and Henry Laurens as American negotiators for the peace treaty with Britain is yet another Hansonite historical inaccuracy.
In fact, on September 27, 1779, John Adams was already dispatched overseas to negotiate peace with Britain—at that time, Hanson was merely a member of the Maryland State Assembly. Later, on June 13 and 14, 1781, the USCA officially elected Franklin, Jay, Laurens (then imprisoned in the Tower of London), and Thomas Jefferson (then Governor of Virginia) to negotiate peace with Britain. Samuel Huntington, not John Hanson, presided over Congress during these appointments.
Ironically, as a Maryland delegate in the USCA before his presidency, Hanson actively supported measures to limit the power of the presidential office by transferring authority to department heads and committees. Hanson advocated for a governance model centered around the “Committee of the States,” a body outlined in Article IX of the Articles of Confederation, which states:
“The United States in Congress assembled shall have authority to appoint a committee, to sit in the recess of Congress, to be denominated ‘A Committee of the States,’ and to consist of one delegate from each State; and to appoint such other committees and civil officers as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States under their direction.”
By the time Hanson assumed the presidency in November 1781, he and other delegates had effectively diminished the presidential role, redistributing its powers to various committees and departments. The Articles of Confederation also imposed strict rules for quorum and voting on significant issues, as stipulated in Article IX:
“The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war, to be built or purchased, or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy, unless nine States assent to the same: nor shall a question on any other point, except for adjourning from day to day be determined, unless by the votes of the majority of the United States in Congress assembled.”
These provisions required a minimum of nine states with at least two delegates each to pass any significant legislation, reducing the president’s role to that of a neutral chair without agenda-setting power. At best, Hanson could cast his vote as one of eighteen delegates (if all nine states met the two-delegate quorum) on important matters, a far cry from the powers held by Continental Congress presidents.
In contrast, Continental Congress presidents wielded considerable authority, including setting the legislative agenda, reading and filtering incoming correspondence, and convening Congress with only one delegate from seven states. These presidents could also vote on crucial matters as their state’s sole representative under minimum quorum rules, which allowed only seven states to be represented by one delegate each.
After the Articles of Confederation were ratified and the new rules implemented, USCA presidents such as Hanson exercised far less influence compared to their Continental Congress counterparts.
Conclusion:
John Hanson had no desire for a powerful presidency and even resisted the routine duties of presidential correspondence. Statistical analysis of presidential correspondence shows that while Henry Laurens handled over 50 letters per month and John Jay and Samuel Huntington maintained a steady 40 letters per month, Thomas McKean saw this drop to about 30. When Hanson took office, he balked at even this reduced volume. On January 28, 1782, Hanson successfully pushed for a resolution to transfer the primary responsibility for disseminating USCA legislation to Secretary Charles Thomson, stating it was "In order that the President may be relieved from the business with which he is unnecessarily incumbered" (Journals of the USCA, January 28, 1782). After this, the frequency of Hanson’s presidential correspondence slowed markedly.
During his first three months, Hanson authored 36 presidential letters, but only 18 letters survive from his last nine months, distributed as follows: February-1, March-6, April-0, May-1, June-3, July-2, August-2, September-1, and October-2. While external events always influenced the volume of correspondence, the contrast with Hanson’s successor, Elias Boudinot, is striking—Boudinot wrote over 140 presidential letters the following year. In the 1783-84 congressional session, President Thomas Mifflin authored over 60 letters within just six months. The stark difference suggests Hanson’s personal preference for a minimal, laissez-faire approach to the presidency.
The Maryland State Legislature, John Hanson Memorial Association, and other Hansonite supporters have failed to adequately research Hanson’s role, thereby perpetuating myths that mislead the public about his actual contributions. This reliance on unverified claims does a disservice to historical understanding by promoting a narrative that distorts the legacy of the Articles of Confederation presidency.
Myth III
Myth III: John Hanson Was the First Black U.S. President.
The myth that John Hanson was the first Black president of the United States has recently emerged, adding a misleading and racially charged narrative to Hanson's legacy. This claim, in addition to distorting the historical record, disrespects the historic accomplishment of Barack H. Obama, who became the first Black U.S. president in 2009. According to this myth, the 18th-century John Hanson—a white slaveholder and hemp farmer—was somehow the first Black president of the United States.
Background
In 2007, Cyril Innis Jr. published a paper suggesting that John Hanson was America’s first president, including an 1865 photograph from the Library of Congress of a Black man also named John Hanson.
John Hanson photo from Mr. Innis Article [2]
In his paper, Innis also featured the back of the $2 bill, showing the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with one of the men ambiguously labeled as “the dark-skinned man” and purported to be John Hanson. This claim quickly gained traction on the internet and spread widely, particularly through videos and websites claiming that Hanson was a Black Moor who served as the first U.S. president. This misinterpretation continues to generate inquiries from people who believe John Hanson was the first Black president.
The Back of the $2.00 Bill with Innis’ circling of the “Black Moor John Hanson” [3]
Rebuttal
The historical record demonstrates that John Hanson, who served in the Continental Congress, was neither Black nor the first U.S. president. Elected to Congress in 1779, he did not actually take his seat until 1780 and was not present for the signing of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. Additionally, the individual circled by Innis on the $2 bill—George Walton of Georgia—was not Black but a white slave owner.
Hanson’s own writings confirm his status as a slaveholder. In a letter from February 1782, he writes to his family about business affairs, including the sale of enslaved people:
“I have not the least inclination to purchase Mr. Bowles's Hand. Sally I am persuaded will be very easy without him—if she wants to be sold I have no objection to let Mr. Bowles have her, at £100 (not less). Bond on Interest for the money will do. I observe Mr. Lee, Mr. Addison, and J Hanson, have advertised their Negroes for Sale. I was surprised at it. I did not know the motive, and wish their plan may Succeed.”
Following Hanson’s death in 1783, his will listed 11 enslaved individuals as his property, confirming his status as a slaveholder. Additionally, the technology for photography was not developed until the 19th century, long after Hanson’s death on November 15, 1783. Any photograph claiming to depict the 18th-century John Hanson is thus impossible.
The photograph referenced by Innis is actually a 19th-century daguerreotype of Liberian Senator John Hanson of Grand Bassa County, a prominent advocate for the resettlement of freed Black Americans to Liberia.
Conclusion
John Hanson was not the first Black president of the United States. The Innis claim, regardless of its intent, is historically inaccurate and racially misguided. The honor of being the first Black U.S. president belongs to Barack H. Obama, whose election in 2008 marked a historic milestone. Finally, Hanson’s Last Will and Testament, detailing his ownership of enslaved people, provides clear evidence that he was a white slaveholder, not a Black Moor.
Below are images of his Last Will and Testament are published below along with its transcription:
In the name of God Amen. I, John Hanson of Frederick Town in Frederick County being in Good Health but considering the uncertainty of Human Life do make and ordain this my last will and Testiment as follows Vizt.
I give and Bequeath to my son Alexander Contee Hanson one Negro Woman Named Sal and her son Charles Roger and her Daughter Named Nan, one Negro man named John and one Negro man Commonly Called Ned Barnes two feather Beds Such as my Wife may Choose to Part with one Silver Pint Cup Six Silver Table Spoons Six Silver Tea Spoons and one pair of Silver Tea Tongs to him and his heirs forever.
The Lots or portions of Ground remaining unsold of the ground I purchased of Benjamin Delaney Esq. Adjoining to Frederick Town I desire may be sold by my Ex. Hereafter named and the Money Arising from Such Sale be paid one third thereof to Richard Potts one third to Doctor Philip Thomas and the remaining third may be Divided Between my wife and Son Alexander
I Give and bequeath to my Grand Daughter Catherine Thomas one Negro Boy (nan’s son) named Bill to her and her heirs forever.
I Give and Bequeath to my Grand Daughter Rebecca Thomas one Negro Girl Named Charity (Moll’s Child) to her and her heirs forever.
I give and Bequeath to my Grand Son John Hanson Thomas one Negro Boy named Bob and the Child my Negro Nan is now big with one feather Bed and Twenty Pounds in Current Money to him and his heirs forever.
I Give and Bequeath to my Beloved Wife Jane Hanson my Lots and Houses in Frederick Town and which I purchased of a certain Adam Koon for and during her Natural life and after her Decease I Give the said Lots and Houses to my son Alexander and his heirs forever the remaining part of my personal Estate not herein before Divided
I Also Give and Bequeath to my said Wife forever.
My will is that Debts which may be Justly due and owing from me at the time of my Death my be paid and satisfied out of the Debts that may be due and owing to me and if those Debts or what may be Collected be not Sufficient to discharge what I owe then my will is that the Deficiency be paid and Satisfied out of the Legacies given to my Son Alexander and out of the Residuary part of my Personal Estate to my Wife in due proportion according to the Value of the Personal estate hereby bequeathed to each of them.
I give and Bequeath to my much esteemed Son in Law Doct. Philip Thomas one Mourning Ring
Lastly I Constitute and Ordain my Wife Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And I desire my Estate may not be Appraised or any Inventory thereof returned unless she shall Choose to Appraise and Inventory the same And I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me made and in Testimony Whereof I have in the presence of the Witnessed Subscribing Signed Published and Declared this to be my last will and affix my seal to the same this 20th day of September 1781
Signed Sealed Published and
John Hanson jr (seal)
Declared in the Presence of us (signature)John Nelson, Jeffery Magruder, Rich Butler
Frederick County April 13th 1784 Then came Jane Hanson and made Oath that the a foregoing Instrument of writing is the True and Whole Will and Testiment of John Hanson late of Frederick County Deceased that hath Come to her hands in Posession and that she Doth not know of any other - Geo. Murdock Regt.
Frederick County April 13th 1784 Then came Richard Butler one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the aforegoing Last Will and Testament of John Hanson late of Frederick County Deceased and made Oath the Holy evangelists
Myth IV
Myth IV: The Swedish John Hanson
In 1876, George A. Hanson published an article titled Old Kent: The Eastern Shore of Md., in which he concocted a story that the U.S. president John Hanson was descended from Swedish royalty. Inspired by the patriotic fervor surrounding the U.S. Centennial, George Hanson claimed that John Hanson’s family line included four brothers who arrived in New Sweden in 1642 under the guardianship of Governor Johan Björnsson Printz. According to this story, the Hansons’ father, a nobleman who died fighting alongside King Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Lutzen, had married into Swedish royalty, endowing the Hanson family (including the future U.S. president) with royal lineage.
This story, however, is entirely fictitious. Despite its lack of factual basis, it has been repeated in various publications over the past 136 years.
The real John Hanson, president of the United States in Congress Assembled, was of English descent. His family’s lineage can be traced back to his grandfather, also named John Hanson, who was transported to Maryland as an indentured servant by William Plumley of Barbados. In the winter of 1661-1662, Hanson’s grandfather was sold to Edward Keene of Calvert County, Maryland. From these humble beginnings, the family’s history unfolded in Maryland, not Sweden.
According to the Maryland State Archives, John Hanson’s lineage is documented as follows:
- John Hanson, Jr. (1721-1783), born on April 3, 1721, in Port Tobacco Parish, Charles County, Maryland, was the third surviving son in the family.
- Father: Samuel Hanson (ca. 1685-1740)
- Mother: Elizabeth (ca. 1688-1764), daughter of Walter Storey (ca. 1666-1726)
- Notable relatives:
- Uncle: Robert Hanson (ca. 1680-1748)
- Brothers: Walter Hanson (1711/12-1794), Samuel Hanson (1716-1794), and two Williams (1718/19-1721 and 1726-?)
- Sisters: Elizabeth (1707-?), Mary (1710-?), Sarah (1714-?), Jane (1721/22-?), Charity (1724-?), who later married Arthur Lee, and Chloe.
In reality, John Hanson’s heritage is rooted in English, not Swedish, ancestry. The claim that he descended from Swedish royalty was a myth generated during a time of national pride but lacks any historical basis.
Federal Government Corrects Historic Record After 102 Years: Samuel Huntington, Not John Hanson, Recognized as First USCA President Under the Articles of Confederation
Historian Stanley Yavneh Klos has urged Maryland to cease funding initiatives that promote John and Jane Hanson as the first President and First Lady of the United States. After extensive research and advocacy, Klos’ efforts have contributed to a significant correction in historical records, now acknowledged by major national institutions.
The Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, and the Library of Congress have updated their websites and exhibits to reflect that the Articles of Confederation’s government officially began on March 1, 1781. This marks Samuel Huntington as the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA), reversing the 1903 Congressional position that placed John Hanson as the first USCA President, beginning on November 5, 1781.
These changes affirm that Huntington held the office first, followed by Samuel Johnston (who declined the position) and Thomas McKean, who were elected on July 9 and 10, 1781, respectively, after Huntington resigned on July 6, 1781, due to illness.
One of the notable updates includes the Smithsonian Institution’s removal of a plaque in The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden exhibit, which had previously misattributed John Hanson as the first President under the Articles of Confederation. This adjustment is part of a broader effort to align public history with verified historical research, ensuring that Samuel Huntington’s role as the initial USCA President is accurately represented across national archives and museums.
Additionally, on its website in April 2015, the Smithsonian Institute changed:
“John Hanson served as the first president of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1782” --
--TO--
“John Hanson served as an early President of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1782.”
“When all the states ratified the Articles of Confederation in 1781, they voted for the first President. John Hanson from Maryland was the first man to serve as the elected President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation, thus making him acting President of the United States”
--TO--
“When all the states ratified the Articles of Confederation in 1781, they voted for the first President. John Hanson from Maryland was the first man to serve a full, one year term as the elected President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation, thus making him (the third*) acting President of the United States. … *Although John Hanson was the first elected to the position to serve a full 1 year term, two other individuals were elected President during or after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation: Samuel Huntington (1779) and Thomas McKean (1781).”
“John Hanson (1715-1783), a delegate from Maryland, was elected the first President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation. ... Some people claim that John Hanson rather than George Washington should be considered the first president."
--TO--
"Between March 1, 1781, when the Articles of Confederation were enacted, and November 5, 1781, when a new Congress convened, Samuel Huntington and Thomas McKean served briefly as presidents of the body. Samuel Johnston had declined the presidency when elected. When Congress met on November 5, 1781, it elected John Hanson (1715-1783), delegate from Maryland, as its president. In this letter, Charles Thomson (1729-1824), secretary of the Continental Congress informs George Washington of Hanson's election. According to the Articles, the president of Congress presided only over Congress; George Washington, chosen after the ratification of the Federal Constitution, was the first president of the United States."
"It has been a long battle but our determination finally blossomed and the federal government has begun to reverse its 1903 Articles of Confederation errors. Now our attention has turned to the People of Maryland and their elected Representatives. On July 2nd, 2015, we wrote the Governor and Legislature requesting that Maryland cease and desist funding the promotion of John Hanson as the first President to either serve or be elected under the Articles of Confederation Constitution.
"To view Mr. Klos' letter to the State of Maryland, please Click Here.
To view Mr. Klos' latest correspondence with the Library of Congress, National Archives, and Smithsonian Institute Click Here
Students and Teachers of US History this is a video of Stanley and Christopher Klos presenting America's Four United Republics Curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. The December 2015 video was an impromptu capture by a member of the audience of Penn students, professors and guests that numbered about 200. -- Download Curriculum Here
[1] Cyril Innis, Jr., A Black Man, A Moor, John Hanson, 2007, http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/ Announcements/pdf/Cyril_Innis_Jr.pdf,
[2] John Hanson, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C., The form of photography known as “daguerreotype” was introduced in France in 1839. A sixth-plate daguerreotype measures 2 ¾” by 3 ¼”.
[3] Opt Cit
[4] John Hanson to Phillip Thomas, February 23, 1782, LDC 1774-1789
[5] Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al., A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789, John Hanson, Jr. Maryland State Archives, page 406.
[6] John Hanson, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C., http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004664314/resource/
[7] See for example, Herbert J. Stoeckel, “The Strange Story of John Hanson, First President of the United States.” A Guide to Oxon Hill Manor and Mulberry Grove in Maryland. Hartford, Conn.: Hanson House, 1932. Reprint 1956.
[8] See, for example, John W. Cavanaugh, “Our Two First Presidents, John Hanson and George Washington.” The Gold Book of United States History, Full of Gold Nuggets. New York: N.p., and Amandus Johnson, , John Hanson: First President of the United States Under the Articles of Confederation. Philadelphia: Swedish Colonial Society, 1966.
[9] “John Hanson 1715-1783.” Bibliography Directory of the United States Congress, , Extended Bibliography, bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/bibdisplay.pl?index=H000177
[10] Smithsonian Institute, The American Presidency – "John Hanson mug - John Hanson served as the first president of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1782. The Congress elected a president annually from among its members, but the position bore no relationship to the presidency established under the Constitution. When Hanson became the first president of the new independent nation, it was more an honorary position than a powerful office" http://americanhistory.si.edu/presidency/2a1a.html 2008.
[11] John Hanson President of the Continental Congress. The National Postal Museum, United States Post Office, 2008. - http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1 &mode=2&tid=2039383
[12] On my 2011 tour of the Maryland State House, the guide referred to John Hanson as the third President of the USCA.
[13] This claim put forth by the Smithsonian was challenged but the Smithsonian never responded or changed the exhibit.
[14] Photograph of the Smithsonian's traveling exhibit "A Glorious Burden, The American Presidency,” at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Stanley L. Klos, February 2004.
[15] Daniel Carroll to Charles Carroll of Carrolton, February 20, 1781, LDC 1774-1789
[16] March 2, 1781, JCC 1774-1789
[17] JCC, 1774-1789, July 10, 1781: Mr. Johnston having declined to accept the office of president, and offered such reasons as were satisfactory, the house proceeded to another election and the ballots being taken, the Honorable Thomas McKean was elected.
[18] LDC, 1774-1789, John Hanson to Thomas McKean 10th Nov. 1781
[19] John Hanson to Thomas McKean, November 10, 1781, LDC 1774-1789
[20] Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al., A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789, John Hanson, Jr. Maryland State Archives, page 406
[21] LDC, 1774-1789, LDC Editor notes to the letter of John Hanson to Thomas McKean 10th Nov. 1781
[22] LDC, 1774-1789, LDC Editor notes to the letter of John Hanson to Thomas McKean 10th Nov. 1781
[23] Broadside Announcing Ceremonial for Washington's Inauguration, 29 April 1789 - Library of Congress Collection
