While taking a break I looked up my surname, McKean, and found this. I knew before that a Thomas McKean had signed a version of the Decl of Independance, but this implies he was also President of Congress Assembled - what does that really mean? Was the position a precursor to President? Any help / comments welcome. J
Fear my google skills. http://www.fact-index.com/p/pr/president_of_the_united_states_in_congress_assembled.html
I'm not 100% sure if it was a pre-cursor to the President elect, but I do know that it was a similar position to the Speaker of the House is today. It's not an executive position, but was a presiding title over a legleslative body appointed by, I believe, congress.
cpemma - thanks, but I saw that page already, but it's not easy reading. Dad - qué? I don't really understand the current US politics (let alone 200yr old politcal set up) - can you give me some kind of basic hierarchy? don't go into too much detail - I was just wondering how much power he had. Thank you both.
As far as hierarchy goes, the Speaker is 3rd in line for the Presidency if both the President and Vice-President are killed. The Speaker isn't voted into office by the general public, but is voted in by the House members on the 1st day of sessions after a general election. In my opinion, the Speaker actually holds more domestic power than the President does because he/she appoints the members and chairpersons of all the different committees which actually are the people in the trenches for passing, changing and modifing domestic law.
cool, thanks. know i can say that someone who I may be descended from was the real power behind the president of the US (200 years before I was born). If I wanted... hmm. thanks Dad. (that's so weird writing that, you're not my dad) ("I am your father") (sorry)
I think it would actually be more like the head of the writers of the declaration of independence... SIMILAR to the speaker of the house, but not the SAME.
