<Tr> <Th> Signature </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <P> John Hanson (April 14 (O.S. April 3) 1721--November 15, 1783) was a merchant and public official from Maryland during the era of the American Revolution . In 1779, Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress after serving in a variety of roles for the Patriot cause in Maryland . He signed the Articles of Confederation in 1781 after Maryland finally joined the other states in ratifying them . </P> <P> In November 1781, he was elected as President of the United States in Congress Assembled, and became the first president (third overall) to serve a one - year term under the provisions of the Articles of Confederation . While George Washington is recognized by historians as the first President of the United States, since he began serving when the current United States Constitution went into effect in 1789, some biographies of Hanson have made arguments that Hanson was actually the first holder of the office of president since he began serving following the first election for a full one - year presidential term once the Articles of Confederation was ratified in 1781 . </P> <P> John Hanson was born in Port Tobacco Parish in Charles County in the Province of Maryland on April 14, 1721 . Sources published prior to a 1940 genealogical study sometimes listed his birth date as April 13 or his year of birth as 1715 . </P>

First president of united states under articles of confederation
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