The First U.S. President From Delaware - Thomas McKean

In this 2020 presidential election year, Joe Biden is the first Delawarean to be the presumptive nominee of a major political party. If the former Vice President wins the November 3rd election, Biden will be the first from the First State to become President under the U.S. Constitution. However, he would not be first from Delaware to be head of the nation. That distinction belongs to Thomas McKean. The founding of America begins on July 4, 1776. During the 13 years from Declaration of Independence to the election of George Washington as the Constitution's first president, the one person some historians consider as the United States leader was the President of Congress. 14 men served 16 terms during this period of time. McKean was the eighth to hold this office.    The public did not elect the President of Congress. The position was determined by an election of those serving in Congress. In July 1781, Samuel Harrington of Connecticut resigned as President due to the health issues. To replace Harrington, McKean was elected by Congress. The responsibilities are significantly less than what are held by the President today. Still there were some similarities. "I think of it as a president of the country," historian Bob Vander Decker said. "We were doing negotiations with foreign countries, we were raising armies, we were taxing, we were doing all the same things a government would do today." McKean was only President for 118 days. One of those days was a very significant date in American history, October 19, 1781. "He is President of Congress at the time (British General) Cornwallis surrenders to Washington at Yorktown," Vander Decker said. "Perhaps making McKean the most important president that we have ever had in this country, when we earn our independence." McKean helped write the United States first governing document, The Articles of Confederation. On November 5, 1781, under The Articles, McKean's term as President ended when members of Congress elected Marylander John Hanson to serve in that role.  McKean got his political start prior to his 23rd birthday when in 1756 he was appointed Deputy Attorney General for Sussex County. As the British began their attempts to implement taxes on the Colonies to help pay for The French and Indian War, McKean began to become more vocal in his support for separation. On July 23, 1774, McKean traveled to Lewes to garner support for the people of Boston who had been more aggressive in their opposition to the Crown highlighted by the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773). McKean voted for the Declaration of Independence and is one of three Delawareans to sign it (along with Caesar Rodney and George Read). Because Delaware did not separate from Pennsylvania until June 1776, McKean has ties to both states. He was the second President (what is essentially the Governor) of Delaware in 1777 and after the Constitution was established McKean eventually became the second governor of Pennsylvania. McKean helped establish the United States and took a leadership position during the early years and he did all this as a Delawarean.