What is the origin of the term'President'?
The modern usage of the term president to designate a single person who is the head of state of a republic can be traced directly to the United States Constitution of 1787, which created the office of President of the United States.
What is the history of the term President-elect?
A brief history of the term ‘president-elect’ in the United States 1 The founders used it. In 1793, Washington wrote a letter concerning his upcoming second inauguration as president in which he referred to himself as “president-elect.” 2 19th- and 20th-century news media used it. ... 3 Congress used it. ... 4 Everybody uses it. ...
What is the first president of a court called?
In general, a court comprises several chambers, each with its own president; thus the most senior of these is called the "first president" (as in: "the First President of the Court of Cassation is the most senior judge in France").
What did George Washington call himself when he became president?
In 1793, Washington wrote a letter concerning his upcoming second inauguration as president in which he referred to himself as “president-elect.” Numerous letters by the Founding Fathers contain the term “president-elect” in connection with the 1796 presidential election.
When did the word president originate?
presidency (n.) 1590s, "office of a president," also "superintendence, direction," from Medieval Latin praesidentia "office of a president" (mid-13c.), from Latin praesidentem (nominative. Earlier was presidentship (1520s), presidence (c. 1500).
Where did the term president originate?
Etymology. From Old French president, from Latin praesidēns (“presiding over; president, leader”) (accusative: praesidentem). The Latin word is the substantivized present active participle of the verb praesideō (“preside over”). The verb is composed from prae (“before”) and sedeō (“sit”).
Who first used the word president?
the Commonwealth of EnglandThe first usage of the word president to denote the highest official in a government was during the Commonwealth of England.
Did the Constitution create a president?
Article II of the Constitution created the presidency. The president's powers were stated more briefly than those of Congress. The president was granted "executive Power," including the power "with the Advice and Consent of the Senate," to make treaties and appoint ambassadors.
Who invented presidential system?
Most notably, James Wilson advocated for a unitary executive figure that would become the role of the president. The United States became the first presidential republic when the Constitution of the United States came into force in 1789, and George Washington became the first president under a presidential system.
What did George Washington want to be called instead of president?
During the war Washington was addressed as “General” or “Your Excellency.” Future second president John Adams even suggested “Your Highness” and “Your Most Benign Highness.” Since the Constitution prohibits titles of nobility, it was finally settled that George Washington be addressed as “Mr.
What did the Senate initially want to call the president?
There was initially a question as to how to address the President. The Senate proposed that he be addressed as "His Highness the President of the United States of America and Protector of their Liberties." Both the House of Representatives and the Senate compromised on the use of "President of the United States."
Who was the first president before George Washington?
In November 1781, John Hanson became the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled, under the Articles of Confederation. Many people have argued that John Hanson, and not George Washington, was the first President of the United States, but this is not quite true.
What does "president" mean?
president (n.) late 14c., "appointed governor of a province; chosen leader of a body of persons," from Old French president and directly from Latin praesidentum (nominative praesidens) "president, governor," noun use of present participle of praesidere "to act as head or chief" (see preside ). In Middle English of heads ...
Where did the word "chief executive officer" come from?
First use for "chief executive officer of a republic" is in U.S. Constitution (1787), from earlier American use for "officer in charge of the Continental Congress" (1774), earlier of individual colonies (Virginia, 1608), a sense derived from that of "chosen head of a meeting or group of persons," which is from Middle English.
How is the President elected?
Presidents in this system are either directly elected by popular vote or indirectly elected by an electoral college or some other democratically elected body.
How many members are there in Switzerland?
Switzerland, where the headship of state is collectively vested in the seven-member Swiss Federal Council, although there is also a president of the Confederation, who is a member of the Federal Council elected by the Federal Assembly (the Swiss parliament) for a year ( constitutional convention mandates that the post rotates every New Year's Day ).
What did Adams say about the presidential style?
the President of Pennsylvania ), at that time often enjoyed the style of Excellency; Adams said the president "would be leveled with colonial governors or with functionaries from German princedoms" if he were to use the style of Excellency. Adams and Richard Henry Lee both feared that cabals of powerful senators would unduly influence a weak executive, and saw an exalted title as a way of strengthening the presidency. On further consideration, Adams deemed even Highness insufficient and instead proposed that the executive, both the president and the vice president (i.e., himself), be styled Majesty to prevent the "great danger" of an executive with insufficient dignity. Adams' efforts were met with widespread derision and perplexion; Thomas Jefferson called them "the most superlatively ridiculous thing I ever heard of", while Benjamin Franklin considered it "absolutely mad".
Who is Madame de Tourvel?
In Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 's 1782 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses ("Dangerous Liaisons"), the wife of a magistrate in a parlement is referred to as Madame la Présidente de Tourvel ("Madam President of Tourvel").
How many years does the president of Brazil have to be elected?
In Brazil, the president is directly elected for a four-year term by popular vote. A candidate has to have more than 50% of the valid votes. If no candidates achieve a majority of the votes, there is a runoff election between the two candidates with most votes.
What is the title of a dictator?
In authoritarian regimes, a dictator or leader of a one-party state may also be called a president. The titles " Mr. President " and Madam President may apply to a person holding the title of president or presiding over certain other governmental bodies. "Mr.
What is the title of the head of state?
President is a common title for the head of state in most republics . The functions exercised by a president vary according to the form of government. In parliamentary republics, they are usually, but not always, limited to those of the head of state and are thus largely ceremonial.
How was America created?
America was created a nation by, for, and of the people with a representative government - a constitutional republic. Power rests with the citizens who are presided over by an elected official known as the President.
Why did God give Saul the king?
After the time of the judges had come to an end, the people begged God to give them a king, like all the other nations. Because God gives us free will, He allowed them to choose a king. Saul was the beginning of a string of mostly evil and corrupt kings.
What is the role of the president in a business?
The president occupies the role of authority over the body. In the business world, a president is the chief office of an organization, like a corporation or institution. That president's job responsibilities include guiding the direction of the body and administering its policies.
Where does the word "president" come from?
Dictionaries tell us that the word president originated from the Latin praesident- , praesidens, based on the present participle of praesidEre. Thus, a president is an official who presides over a body of people. That body could be a club or it could be a nation. The president occupies the role of authority over the body.
When did the United States become independent?
In America, when the United States first established their independence from England in 1776, many people wanted to make General George Washington America's first king. Washington would not have it.
What was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress called?
In 1774, the presiding officer of the Continental Congress was also called "president, " but it was very much a ceremonial title. So Article Two of the Constitution gave the word "president" a whole new meaning. "They were charting new terrain here," Zimmer says. "This title really didn't fit perfectly well.".
What do countries call their heads of state?
Today, dozens of countries around the world call their head of state the president.
When did George Washington deliver his inaugural address?
George Washington delivers his inaugural address in April 1789. George Washington delivers his inaugural address in April 1789. The Presidents Day holiday got us wondering: Why do we call the leader of our country "president?".
Who established the first principles of the executive branch of the American political system?
Bartoloni-Tuazon, author of a book about this debate, For Fear of an Elective King, says the simple title of "president" established the first principles of the executive branch of the American political system.
Why are leaves green in Vermont?
He says leaves are green because they contain a chemical called chlorophyll, which allows them to make their own food.
Why was the Articles of Confederation important?
It was difficult to make quick decisions about important matters. That's why the framers of the constitution felt it was important to create an office where somebody could respond quickly to an emergency and that was outside of the long debates that congress might have to make."
What does the word "presidence" mean?
The word itself means, from Latin, to sit before. Preside means to sit before. That idea was transferred to the elective office that we call the presidency.
Why do broad leaf trees drop their leaves?
The broad-leaf trees want to drop their leaves because those leaves can't withstand winter. So the leaf forms a boundary between itself and the twig, allowing the rain and wind to blow the leaf away. The tree goes dormant for the winter. It slows down and lives on stored food.
Where are the Leaf curious listeners?
Leaf curious listeners Bella in Chicago, IL, Liam in Burlington, VT, Kyle in California, and Emma in Shreveport, LA.
Do all trees lose their leaves in the fall?
Not all trees lose their leaves in the fall. But when the days start to get shorter in the fall, that's the signal for broad-leafed trees to get ready for winter. The tree stops making chlorophyll and the green color fades, unmasking colors that were there all along: the yellows and reds.
Who was the first president of the United States?
John Hancock, the famous Massachusetts delegate to the convention, was presiding over the Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was adopted. So he could be called the first president, because that's when the term was used for the first time.
Why did Madison say it was appropriate to consider someone president-elect?
Madison’s comments suggest that it was appropriate at that time to consider someone president-elect once it appeared likely that they had secured enough votes to win the Electoral College.
How many words are in the corpus of President elect?
As a lawyer and philosopher who studies word meaning, I have researched the meaning and history of the term “president-elect” using publicly available resources like the Corpus of Historical American English – a searchable database of over 400 million words of historical American English text. I’ve also used Founders Online, which makes freely available many documents written by the nation’s founders.
When did the term "President-Elect" come into use?
Numerous letters by the Founding Fathers contain the term “president-elect” in connection with the 1796 presidential election.
When will Biden be sworn in?
On Jan. 20, Joe Biden will be sworn in as president of the United States. Until then, he is president-elect of the United States. But what exactly does it mean to be president-elect of the United States?
Who asserted that John Adams could be considered president-elect?
In a 1796 letter, James Madison asserted that John Adams could be considered president-elect. VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images
When was the term "President-Elect" added to the Constitution?
Constitution with the adoption of the 20th Amendment in 1933 . That amendment states that “If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, ...
Where is the statue of George Washington?
Statue of George Washington in front of Federal Hall in New York City. Getty Images
When did the term "President-Elect" come into use?
Numerous letters by the Founding Fathers contain the term “president-elect” in connection with the 1796 presidential election.
When will Biden be sworn in as President?
Image: Statue of George Washington in front of Federal Hall in New York City. Getty Images. On Jan. 20, Joe Biden will be sworn in as president of the United States. Until then, he is president-elect of the United States.
Is President elect a term?
I’ve also used Founders Online, which makes freely available many documents written by the nation’s founders. “President-elect” is not a term that is legally defined in U.S. law. Rather, the term’s meaning has developed over time through its use by the public. Its use can be traced all the way back to George Washington.
Who wrote the letter to Thomas Jefferson?
Of particular note is a letter from James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, sent on Christmas Day 1796. Wrote Madison: “Unless the Vermont election of which little has of late been said, should contain some fatal vice, in it, Mr. Adams may be considered as the President elect.
Overview
Description
The title president is derived from the Latin prae- "before" + sedere "to sit". As such, it originally designated the officer who presides over or "sits before" a gathering and ensures that debate is conducted according to the rules of order (see also chairman and speaker), but today it most commonly refers to an executive official in any social organization. Early examples are from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge (from 1464) and the founding president of the Royal Society William …
History
The 1787 Constitution of the United States did not specify the manner of address for the president. When George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789, the administering of the oath of office ended with the proclamation: "Long live George Washington, President of the United States." No title other than the name of the office of the executive was officially used at the inauguration. The question of a presidential title was b…
Titles for non-heads of state
Some countries with parliamentary systems use a term meaning/translating as "president" (in some languages indistinguishable from chairman) for the head of parliamentary government, often as President of the Government, President of the Council of Ministers or President of the Executive Council.
However, such an official is explicitly not the president of the country. These officials are called "president" using an older sense of the word, to denote the fact that the official heads the cabinet. A separate head of state generall…
Spousal or female titles
Titles for a president's spouse, if female, have ranged from "Marquise" to "Lady" to simply "Mrs." (or "Ms."). If male the title of the president's spouse may be "Marquis", "Lord", or merely "Mr.".
President George Washington's wife, Martha Washington, was often called "Lady Washington". By the 1850s in the United States, the term "lady" had changed from a title of nobility to a term of address for a respected and well-mannered woman. The use of "First Lady" to refer to the wife of the president of the United States was populariz…
In the media
On 8 November 2016, the night of the 2016 presidential election in the United States, images of leaked pre-printed copies of Newsweek magazine showed the magazine celebrating the win of the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, with the cover titled "Madam President". It is common for Newsweek to prepare for the eventuality of either candidate winning, though it was unusual that it was both published and distributed; the cover was pulled from newsstands after it became clear that Donald Trump had secured a majority of electoral votes, winning the …
See also
• Eternal President of the Republic
• Presidential system
• Presidents Day
• Requirements for becoming a president
• Vice president