A flag for the President of the Continental Congress - of the United States of America from 1774-1788

Who was the President of the United States of America in 1776?  George Washington? Nope.  The 'Presiding Officer' or leader of the political gang of patriots guiding America towards freedom was John Hancock.  This partly explains why his signature is so large on the Declaration of Independence.

Here is a flag to commemorate that office of US ABC - United States of America Before the Constitution.  

Fourteen men served in that office as the proverbial 'Chairman' of the Continental Congresses.  Note that this officer had none of the powers that 'official' or 'constitutional' presidents  had or have - like George Washington and Barack Obama.

So what can we do?  Make some commemorative one dollar bills to honor these men who served our country, so that we could enjoy the fruits of their labor?  This flag is dedicated to their spirit and service along with their colleagues whose labors gave rise to the United States of America, before the genesis of the US Constitution.

The flag has fourteen stripes to denote that fourteen persons held the title as 'President of the Continental Congress.'   The most famous person of the group is John Hancock who served two terms as 'President' of the US Continental Congress. The stars are eight pointed in the heraldic tradition.  The thirteen stars honor the thirteen colonies.  In the center is a seal, which can be found on the proceedings of the first the Continental Congress of 1774, when Peyton Randolph was President. The seal features a pillar standing on the Magna Charta held up by twelve hands.  On top of the pillar is a 'smurf' hat, also known as a liberty cap or Phrygian Cap.

An interesting fact is that one 'President' was not born in America.  Authur St. Clair the 13th Pre-Constitutional president was born in the Old Word - Scotland.  Although Maryland has not yet had a president sit in the 'Oval Office,'  the first president of American Gov 1.0 under the Articles of Confederation was from Maryland.  Also during this era three Pennsylvania boys were chosen to lead: two were from Philly - Mifflin & Boudinot, one was from New London Township.  Likewise before the Texan Nutmegger, there was Mr. Huntington.  Last but not least Middleton and Laurens were from South Carolina.

The rest were either from the Mom and Pop states of Virginia and Massachusetts.  Virginia is the 'Mommy' state of America, making Richard Henry Lee and Cyrus Griffin 'lost' presidents from Mother Virginia.  On the other hand, Massachusetts is the 'Daddy' state of America, thusly John Hancock and Nathaniel Gorham are 'lost' presidents from Father Massachusetts. Also note Mother Virginia is the alpha and omega of pre-Consitutuional presidents from Randolph to Griffin, is balanced in accordance with Father Massachusetts which led the United States during all three pre-Consitutuional eras:(#1) before the Declaration of Independence, (#2) before the adoption of the Articles of Confederation, (#3) during the legal use of the Articles of Confederation - US Gov 1.0, and with a cherry on top of it, during the issuance of the Declaration on Independence on July 4, 1776, through John Hancock.

Unfortunately New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina, nor Georgia were able send one of their own native born sons to this highest of pre-Constitutional American political offices.