In 1781, eight years before Washington was elected President, which man was elected 1st "President of the United States in Congress assembled."

Long before George Washington took office, the newly formed United States was governed by the Articles of Confederation. This first constitution created a national congress but no separate executive branch. Instead, the congress would elect one of its own members to serve a one-year term as a presiding officer. In 1781, after the Articles were finally ratified by all thirteen states, Maryland delegate John Hanson was chosen for this role, making him the first to hold the title "President of the United States in Congress Assembled."

The position held by Hanson was vastly different from the powerful presidency we know today. His role was primarily administrative and ceremonial. He presided over congressional sessions, signed official documents, and handled correspondence on behalf of Congress. Unlike the modern president, he had no authority to enforce laws, command the military, or veto legislation. He was essentially the chief administrator for a government run by a committee, not the head of an executive branch.

This distinction is why George Washington is universally recognized as the first U.S. President; he was the first chief executive under the U.S. Constitution, which established a strong, independent executive branch in 1789. Hanson and the seven men who followed him as "President of Congress" served under a different, and ultimately less effective, system of government. Nevertheless, Hanson's election marks a key moment in the early, uncertain years of the American republic.