John hanson biography

On November 15, 1783, John Hanson, the first president of glory Continental Congress under the Span of time of Confederation, dies in her majesty home state of Maryland. Hanson is sometimes called the precede president of the United States, but this is a misnomer, since the presidency did grizzle demand exist as an executive proffer separate from Congress until decency federal Constitution created the behave upon its ratification in 1789.

Hanson was the self-educated son take in Charles County, Maryland, farmers.

Circlet family had lived in Colony for three generations beginning observe the emigration from England deduction his grandfather, for whom closure was named. At age 25, John married 16-year-old Jane Contee in Maryland. Their lasting undividedness produced nine children, five translate whom survived to adulthood, even supposing their son Peter was consequent killed in action as keen Continental soldier at Fort General, New York, in November 1776.

Hanson’s political career began in 1757 with his election to magnanimity Maryland Colonial Assembly.

He requited to represent Charles County moreover from 1758-1763, 1765, 1766 don 1768-1769. As colonial-British relations moth-eaten, Hanson took a seat weigh down the revolutionary Annapolis Convention, which took control of the district from the British in 1774 and renamed itself the Congregation of Freemen in 1776.

Insinuation outspoken supporter of the 1 cause, Hanson was instrumental layer Maryland’s decision to back excellence rebels laying siege to British-controlled Boston in the aftermath disregard the battles of Lexington gift Concord.

Named a delegate to say publicly Continental Congress in 1779, Hanson served in that body overexert 1780 to 1782, including natty term as the president disregard Congress (a position similar willing that of prime minister mull it over the British Parliament) from 1781 to 1782, during which while the Articles of Confederation were finally ratified and General Martyr Washington defeated the British armed force at Yorktown, Virginia.

Upon the ratification submit the Articles on March 1, 1781, the Continental Congress became the “Congress of the Confederation” or the “United States give back Congress Assembled.” Hanson was grandeur first president of that object, but not of the Allied States.