George Washington Inauguration April 30, 1789

Photo: George Washington at Federal Hall courtesy of wikipedia.com

Presidents of Congress Under the Articles of Confederation

(1781-1789)

The list below names the men who were elected to serve as the President of Congress while the United States operated under the Articles of Confederation. It should be noted that the title "President of Congress," is not the same as the title "President of the United States." George Washington became the first President of the United States in 1789, after the newly adopted United States Constitution supplanted the old and unworkable Articles of Confederation.

John Hanson (Nov 5 1781 - Nov 3 1782)

Elias Boudinot (Nov 4 1782 - Nov 2 1783)

Thomas Mifflin (Nov 3 1783 - Nov 29 1784)

Richard Henry Lee (Nov 30 1784 - Nov 22 1785)

John Hancock (Nov 23 1785 - Jun 5 1786)

Nathaniel Gorham (Jun 6 1786 - Feb 1 1787)

Arthur St. Clair (Feb 2 1787 - Jan 21 1788)

Cyrus Griffin (Jan 22 1788 - Apr 30 1789)

Lee, R. "The History Guy: Presidents of Congress Under the Articles of Confederation (1781-1789)"

http://www.historyguy.com/americanrevolution/colonial_wars.htm