The Many U.S. Presidents Before George Washington

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In this video:

Schools in the United States teach children from an early age that the first president of the United States was George Washington. But teachers often forget to mention a small, kind of important detail- George Washington was the first U.S. president under the current United States Constitution, but he wasn’t the country’s first president.

Sources:

[JustinY.]

Imagine being such a chad that you voluntarily give up power to a nation you helped form because it's the right thing to do

[SkinnerNoah]

Honestly, the idea of vice president being the second most popular candidate makes sense. If the second most voted for candidate gets the vice presidency, it would allow both factions to feel represented, and it would also force Democrats and Republicans to work together, since the VP and president would probably be from one party each. It would also prevent one party from effectively putting all the blame on the other party

[Paladin]

It is regrettable that there has never been a movie made about these men and these times.

[ilyem]

Interesting how The Real First President, and The First Real President, are different people

[MrsLadyPerez]

A fact I never questioned, yet when questioned, it was answered.

Wonderful.

[alexsmith]

Wow! At 68 years of age, I had never heard this portion of American history! Thank you!

[amyf]

Interesting to think how many Americans are learning this from you over their own history classes. ❤️ Thank you

[onemercilessming]

I taught 5th grade Social Studies (US History). The adopted textbooks were appallingly lacking the content of what formed our nation. Instead, the text just skipped whole decades. Part of what I added to the text for the students, then, was the period before the US Constitution of 1789. (There is NO mention of it in the books. No Mayflower Compact; No Articles of Confederation, no reasons on why the Articles of Confederation didn't work--even when my son and daughter were in middle school and high school--why not??) I was on an observation year and the vice-principal (a Mexican immigrant) came in to observe a Socials Studies lesson and wanted to get me fired because I was "teaching them too much".

[davidroberts]

George Washington is the first president of "The United States"
John Hanson was the first president of congress.

[EwWhoIsTHAT]

Imagine being one of the founding leaders of the revoultion going all in and thinking "History is going to remember us for all of our efforts!" St. Clair be like "Hell yeah I'm putting all my money on this and gonna live poor to set my legacy!" Americans today: "I never met this man in my entire life."

[nora]

My mom was the ONLY person I ever knew who knew all this...Simon, many props to you and your team, from a Philadelphia native!

[GraemePayneMarine]

Having gone to high school in Maryland in the mid-1960s I did, of course, learn about John Hanson as the first President under the AofC - but little about the AofC themselves, and nothing about subsequent presidents under them. At one period in my like I spent a lot if time commuting each way on the John Hanson Highway.

[dafttool]

This video sort of pissed me off at how inadequate my education was. And what’s particularly infuriating is how much time was spent on the Revolutionary period, without any of this being mentioned. But they certainly had the time to tell me about a fake, cut-down cherry tree & some wooden teeth

[brettd]

I didn't find it interesting. I found it astounding.

[donaldhoot]

My favorite President is from the future! Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho.

[karenpike]

Thank you for this. I have always wondered about this.

[dirtcop]

John Hancock was the president of the Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was ratified. So I guess it depends on when the government of the United States actually existed.

[JaredKuvent]

Wow, Simon Whistler, that beard is looking proper full - it must have been a cold winter!

[clarkgaylord]

My first viewing from you guys. This was very interesting! Thank you so much for the efforts.

[jasonchen]

Cool video.
Very informative.
This was never taught at school. We we're taught about the articles of confederation, then onto George Washington's presidency and so forth but never about the government that preceded it. Thank you for your channel.