Who was the FIRST President of the US? Samuel Huntington?

[underpants]

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031773337213

HARTFORD, Conn. George Washington is facing an opponent for office, even though his term has long expired.

The title of "first president" has always belonged to Washington, but in the southeastern Connecticut city of Norwich, there's a mounting effort to rewrite history.

The Norwich Historical Society believes the title rightfully belongs to Samuel Huntington, the Connecticut native and president of the Continental Congress when the Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781.

But the society says facts are on its side. Arguing that the Articles of Confederation established the United States as a country, they say that proves Huntington was the true first president.

[Democrats unite]

1. Nowhere in the Articles of Conferderation...

Does it mention a President. If they want to give him the Title of 1st Congressman, be my guest. There are numerous reasons why that is not our type of Government today.

[underpants]

3. I'm not claiming that he was

I read this in the paper on the way to work and I thought it was interesting. NO I think Washington was the first President. They are probably doing this to create attention for their town.

[GOPisEvil]

2. Huntington wasn't referred to as "President".

That office wasn't enumerated until the Constitution of 1787. Hence, George Washington is still first, depsite what some geeks in Norwich think.

[Throckmorton]

4. Well, its all a spin job, but what do you expect when

Norwich's number two favorite son is Benedict Arnold.

[Sandpiper]

5. Well, if we're changing the criteria

Then the first President of the United States would have to be John Hancock. Hancock was President of the Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was ratified. So, tough luck for Samuel Huntington.

[KansDem]

6. John Hanson, President from 1781-1782

A "Black" Man, A Moor, John Hanson
Was the First President of the United States! 1781-1782 A.D.

George Washington
was really the 8th President of the United States!

Hanson, as President, ordered all foreign troops off American soil, as well as the removal of all foreign flags. This was quite the feat, considering the fact that so many European countries had a stake in the United States since the days following Columbus.

Hanson established the Great Seal of the United States, which all Presidents have since been required to use on all official documents.

President Hanson also established the first Treasury Department, the first Secretary of War, and the first Foreign Affairs Department.

Lastly, he declared that the fourth Thursday of every November was to be Thanksgiving Day, which is still true today.

The Articles of Confederation only allowed a President to serve a one year term during any three year period, so Hanson actually accomplished quite a bit in such little time.

http://www.dickgregory.com/dick/14_washington.html

So what happened?

Why don't we ever hear about the first seven Presidents of the United States?

It's quite simple - The Articles of Confederation didn't work well. The individual states had too much power and nothing could be agreed upon.

A new doctrine needed to be written - something we know as the Constitution.

Also, Hanson can be found on the back of a $2 bill:

The back of the $2 bill has an engraving of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the image is a man who has dark skin and wearing a powdered wig while sitting at the table just to the left of the men standing in the center of the engraving. This dark skinned man is John Hanson in his position as president of the continental congress.

In the original painting hanging in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, the dark skinned man does not appear!!!


http://www.dickgregory.com/index_hanson.html

(edited for clarity)