Actual First President to be Recognized?

Local historian Bill Stanley believes Samuel Huntington was the first president of the United States and he is seeking money to create a presidential library in Norwich.

PRESIDENTS UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

Samuel Huntington, Connecticut, March 2 to July 9, 1781, resigned for health reasons.

Thomas McKean,Delaware, July 10 to Nov. 4, 1781.

John Hanson, Maryland, Nov. 5, 1781, to Nov. 3, 1782.

Elias Boudinot, New Jersey, Nov. 4, 1782, to Nov. 2, 1783.

Thomas Mifflin, Pennsylvania, Nov. 3, 1783, to Nov. 29, 1784.

Richard Henry Lee, Virginia, Nov. 30, 1784, to Nov. 22, 1785.

John Hancock, Massachusetts, Nov. 23, 1785, to June 5, 1786 (unable to complete term).

Nathanial Gorham, Massachusetts, June 6, 1786, to Feb. 1, 1787.

Arthur St. Clair, Pennsylvania, Feb. 2, 1787, to Jan. 21, 1787.

Cyrus Griffin, Virginia, Jan. 22, 1788, to April 30, 1789 (up to Washington's inauguration).

Source: Sons of the American Revolution

Articles of Confederation
1781-1789

The Articles of Confederationwas the document that formally organized the U.S. government and was drafted by the Second Continental Congress.

The Articlesprovided for a weak central government that was subordinate to the states. The federal government could only declare war, coin money and set weights and measures. It could pass laws, but could not require the states to abide by them.

Congress could not collect taxes and the Articles were virtually impossible to amend. They were replaced in 1789 by the U.S. Constitution and the final president under the Articles, Cyrus Griffin, turned over the presidency to George Washington in April 1789.

Source: Historychannel.com

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