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The Presidencies of the United Colonies & States of America
U.S. Presidential scholars have aptly compared and contrasted the differences between the current office of President under the US Constitution of 1787 with the Presidential office that once presided over the American Continental Congress. Scholarly work, however, on the dichotomy between the Continental Congress and the USCA Presidents (Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled) is woefully deficient. Moreover, most works on the early Presidents (1774-1788) mistakenly combine the Continental Congress and USCA Presidents of Congress, as "Continental Congress Presidents."
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America's Four United Republics
America's Four United Republics
To understand the differences between these presidencies, we turn to the book, America's Four Republics: The More of Less United States, that organizes the U.S. Founding into four distinctly different United American Republics.
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I. The First United American Republic was established on September 5th, 1774 when a convention of 11 British North American Colonies assembled in a Continental Congress of, they initially named, the United Colonies of North America. The members elected Virginia Delegate Peyton Randolph as the presiding officer, or President of the First Continental Congress. In an entirely different office, George Washington was elected, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, on June 15th, 1775.
The First United American Republic
Continental Congress of the United Colonies Presidents
Sept. 5, 1774 to July 1, 1776
September 5, 1774
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October 22, 1774
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October
22, 1774
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October
26, 1774
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May
20, 1775
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May
24, 1775
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May
25, 1775
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July
1, 1776
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Commander-in-Chief United Colonies of America
George Washington: June 15, 1775 - July 1, 1776
II. The Second United American Republic was established in 1776 when 12 States in the Continental Congress (New York abstained) passed the Resolution of Independence (July 2, 1776) and the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) declaring the Colonies “Free and Independent States.” Massachusetts Delegate John Hancock executed both resolutions as President of the United States Continental Congress. The New York Provincial Congress approved the two Continental Congress independence resolutions on July 9th, 1776 thus making the Declaration of Independence unanimous. The Declaration of Independence was the resolution that changed the name of the United Colonies of America to the United States of America. George Washington continued his service as General and Commander-in-Chief of, the newly named, United States Continental Army.
The Second United American Republic
Continental Congress of the United States Presidents
July 2, 1776 to February 28, 1781
July 2, 1776
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October 29, 1777
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November 1, 1777
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December 9, 1778
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December 10, 1778
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September 28, 1779
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September 29, 1779
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February 28, 1781
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Commander-in-Chief United States of America
George Washington: July 2, 1776 - February 28, 1781
III. The Third United American Republic was established on March 1, 1781 when the United States Continental Congress enacted the first U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Confederation. Although the Articles of Confederation was passed by the U.S. Continental Congress on November 15th, 1777, this Constitution of 1777 required the unanimous ratification by all the 13 states. Maryland was the last state to adopt the Articles of Confederation, completing its ratification on February 2, 1781. On February 22, 1781, it was unanimously resolved by Congress that:
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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| 18th Century Journals of U.S. CONTINENTAL CONGRESS and USCA Congress for 1781 showing votes to adopt the 13 States ratification of the Articles of Confederation. No matter how many delegates a state had they had only one vote. – Klos Yavneh Collection |
The March 1st, 1781, enacted Constitution of 1777 provided for a unicameral governing body called the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) to govern the United States of America. The USCA was charged " .. 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."
On March 2nd, 1781, the Delegates, who were duly elected after each State had ratified the Articles of Confederation, convened in Philadelphia as the United States in Congress Assembled with Samuel Huntington presiding as the first USCA President. Additionally, George Washington continued to serve as General and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Continental Army.
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| Journals of the United States in Congress Assembled, March 2, 1781 entry recording "His excellency Samuel Huntington, delegate for Connecticut, President." |
The Constitution of 1777 Presidency, although similar to its predecessor, was a different and weaker office then that of the U.S. Continental Congress Presidency.
For instance, the Continental Congress Presidents, who served from September 5, 1774 to February 28, 1781, presided over a government that could enact legislation binding all 13 States with only a seven state quorum as opposed to the nine state minimum required by the Constitution of 1777. Additionally, Continental Congress Presidents, who decided what legislation came before Congress, often found themselves as the sole vote for their state, giving them a 1/7th to 1/13th vote over crucial legislation, appointments, judicial decisions, and even military orders enacted during the Revolutionary War. After March 1, 1781, the Constitution of 1777 mandated that two or more delegates must be present from each state for that delegation to be marked present and be eligible to vote in the new USCA government. Therefore, on March 2nd, 1781, the first act of the USCA was to disqualify both New Hampshire and Rhode Island from voting in the new assembly because they each had only one delegate present.
Who was the first U.S. President?
Who was the first U.S. President?
On May 4, 1781, to further weaken presidential powers, Congress passed the "Rules for conducting business in the United States in Congress assembled." that stripped the President of his power to control the congressional agenda which, was a tactic that the presiding officers (especially Henry Laurens) had expertly wielded as Continental Congress Presidents. These new USCA rules even went so far as to eliminate the President's prerogative to continue the debate, before a second to the motion was brought to the floor.
Rule 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.
There are numerous other examples on the differences between the two offices that range from the USCA's Committee of the States experiment to govern the USA by a "Board of Directors" without the USCA President at its head to John Hanson's success in championing the congressional resolution that moved the bulk of his presidential correspondence duties to USCA Secretary Charles Thomson. Moreover, USCA Foreign Secretaries Robert R. Livingston and John Jay took over most of the U.S. Presidential duties of entertaining foreign diplomats and dignitaries under the Articles of Confederation government.
George Washington continued to serve as General and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Continental Army until December 23, 1783. On that date, in Annapolis, Maryland, Washington submitted his resignation to President Thomas Mifflin during a regular session of the United States in Congress Assembled.
George Washington continued to serve as General and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Continental Army until December 23, 1783. On that date, in Annapolis, Maryland, Washington submitted his resignation to President Thomas Mifflin during a regular session of the United States in Congress Assembled.
The Third United American Republic
Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled
March 1, 1781 to March 3, 1789
March 1, 1781 to March 3, 1789
March 1, 1781
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July 6, 1781
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July 10, 1781
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Declined Office
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July 10, 1781
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November 4, 1781
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November 5, 1781
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November 3, 1782
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November 4, 1782
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November 2, 1783
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November 3, 1783
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June 3, 1784
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November 30, 1784
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November 22, 1785
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November 23, 1785
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June 5, 1786
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June 6, 1786
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February 1, 1787
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February 2, 1787
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January 21, 1788
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January 22, 1788
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January 21, 1789
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IV. The Fourth United American Republic was established by the United States Constitution of 1787 and commenced, as resolved by an act of the USCA, on March 4th, 1789. The Constitution of 1787, unlike the Constitution of 1777, only required the ratification of nine states to adopt a new government for the United States of America. By August 1788 all thirteen states had held ratifying conventions and only two, North Carolina and Rhode Island, failed to adopt the Constitution of 1787. On September 13th, 1788 the USCA Delegates agreed on a federal capital location, without a dissentient voice or the least apparent animosity, and this was the last obstacle in finalizing the plan to launch the current federal republic. The USCA, on the same day, enacted this enabling resolution:
… whereas the constitution so reported by the Convention and by Congress transmitted to the several legislatures has been ratified in the manner therein declared to be sufficient for the establishment of the same and such ratifications duly authenticated have been received by Congress and are filed in the Office of the Secretary therefore Resolved That the first Wednesday in January next be the day for appointing Electors in the several states, which before the said day shall have ratified the said constitution; that the first Wednesday in February next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states and vote for a president; and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time and the present seat of Congress the place for commencing proceedings under the said constitution.Tuesday, March 3rd, 1789, was established as the last day the USCA would govern the United States of America.
On Wednesday, March 4th, 1789, neither the United States House of Representatives or the Senate was able to achieve their constitutionally mandated quorums. On April 1st, 1789, the United States House of Representatives achieved its first quorum. On April 6th, 1789, the United States Senate achieved its first quorum and elected its officers. On April 21st, 1789 John Adams took the oath of Vice President and presided as United States Senate President. On April 30th, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated at Federal Hall as the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America. The Supreme Court was first called to assemble on On February 1, 1790, in the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City. The first Supreme Court was made up of Chief Justice, John Jay, from New York and Associate Justices:
John Rutledge, from South Carolina;
William Cushing, from Massachusetts;
James Wilson, from Pennsylvania;
John Blair, from Virginia.
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| The current President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America Honorable Barack H. Obama |
The Fourth United American Republic
Presidents of the United States of America
Current Order of Presidential Succession
The Vice President
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
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