John Hanson's Presidency, despite being the first to serve over a group of Delegates entirely elected under the new Articles of Confederation, also suffered from cavalier attendance under the new Confederation Constitution.

Delegate Hanson understood this and was instrumental in persuading the Maryland Legislature to ratify the Articles of Confederation, The new Congress of November 1781 rewarded Hanson for this service by electing him President on November 5, 1781.

If he had failed, the government would have fallen almost immediately and everyone would have been bowing to King Washington. 

 Hanson established the Great Seal of the United States, which all Presidents have since been required to use on all official documents. President Hanson also established the first Treasury Department, the first Secretary of War, and the first Foreign Affairs Department. Lastly, he declared that the fourth Thursday of every November was to be Thanksgiving Day, which is still true today. 

The Articles of Confederation didn't work well. The individual states had too much power and nothing could be agreed upon. A new doctrine needed to be written - something we know as the Constitution.