Who was the first President of the United States?
SINCE gaining their independence in 1776, Americans have elected 46 men to shape US society and uphold its democratic values.
was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021.
Who was the first President of the United States?
George Washington, the son of a planter, was the first president to hold office.
Washington was elected the first official president in 1789.
Before becoming president, he served as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783 in the American Revolutionary War.
Washington led the colonial forces to a victory over British troops and became a national hero.
In 1787, he was chosen to lead the Constitutional Convention, where he showed impressive leadership and convinced delegates to choose him as America's first leader, according to .
Washington and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison are recognized as the Founding Fathers of the US.
Washington's term as president lasted until 1797, after which Adams became the second president.
Who were the six presidents before George Washington?
Although Washington is widely considered America's first official leader, six other men technically served as "president" before him.
When the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774, the delegates elected a leader or "president" to oversee the group's legislative decisions and meet with foreign dignitaries, much like today's presidential duties.
Virginia Delegate Peyton Randolph served as the president of the First Continental Congress from September to October 1774, according to the archives.
South Carolina Delegate Henry Middleton took over for four days from October 22-26, 1774, before Randolph returned to lead the Second Continental Congress from May 10-24, 1775.
Between May 24, 1775, and March 1, 1781, Delegate John Hancock, Delegate Henry Laurens, Delegate John Jay, and Delegate Samuel Huntington all served as president for a period of time.
Who are the 46 presidents?
Biden became the oldest person to assume the presidency, taking the presidential oath of office two months after turning 78.
Here's a chronological list of the other 45 presidents that came before Biden since 1789:
Who are some notable US presidents?
was elected the first black president in US history in 2008 and served for two terms.
Before leaving office in 2017, he spent his two terms fighting for health care reform and decreasing income inequality.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is the longest-serving US president - he entered office on March 4, 1933, and sat in the Oval Office for four terms until his death in 1945.
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FDR is best known for leading the US through the Great Depression and World War II while expanding the federal government's power through a series of programs and reforms known as the New Deal.
Ronald Reagan is the only movie star to become president and was known as "the Great Communicator" because of his impressive oratory skills.
Abraham Lincoln is revered for his famous Emancipation Proclamation, which paved the way for abolishing slavery in the US.