While many people believe that President George Washington was the first president of America, this isn’t entirely accurate. There have been other individuals who held positions similar to what we now call “President” in various capacities prior to his inauguration on April 30th, 1789.

Presidents of the Continental Congress:

During America’s fight for independence against British rule during the Revolutionary War era (1765-1783), there were several prominent figures who acted as presidents over what became known as “The United Colonies” or later, “The United States.” These included people like Peyton Randolph from Virginia and Henry Laurens from South Carolina.

Presidency of the Confederation:

After winning their independence but before drafting a permanent constitution for America, members of Congress created what they called The Articles of Confederation which served as an interim governing document between 1781-1790. During this period there were individuals such as Thomas Mifflin from Pennsylvania and John Hanson from Maryland who held positions equivalent to that of president in today’s terms despite not being officially called “President” until after Washington took office under our current system established by The Constitution.

Presidential Candidates:

Although neither Peyton Randolph nor any other Continental Congress member was considered eligible for election when voting began on February 4th, 1789; it’s still significant that these individuals existed and served as presidents within their respective states prior to George Washington assuming power at The White House almost two years later. This means that if one were looking solely at those who held positions similar to our modern definition of “President,” then there would indeed be predecessors before him in office – just not necessarily under the exact same name or title we associate with today’s presidency.

The Precedent Setter:

While Peyton Randolph may have been one of America’s earliest examples of an individual holding what could be considered a “presidential” role, it wasn’t until George Washington that someone truly took on such responsibilities in earnest under our current system established by The Constitution. This is significant because Washington set forth precedent for future presidents, and his leadership during this time period helped to establish many of the norms we still abide by today regarding presidential power within the United States government.

There were indeed people who held positions similar to what we now call “President” in various capacities prior to George Washington’s inauguration on April 30th, 1789. While Peyton Randolph and other Continental Congress members may not have been considered eligible for election at the time of his assumption into office; it is still significant that they existed as examples within American history when looking back on our nation’s past presidents before George Washington came to power under The Constitution we know today.

References:

“The Precedent Setter: President George Washington.” National Archives and Records Administration, 2019. https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/president-washington

“Presidents of the Continental Congress.” PBS.org, 2019. https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/leader/biographies/prez_congress_bios.htm#topofpage

“The President’s Role During The Confederation Era.” University of Virginia Library Digital Collections, 2019. http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/electronic-books/ch5s14.html