I read somewhere that someone called David Rice Atkinson was actually the first president of the US (under the Articles of Confederation) and that there were nine others (each serving a year-long term) after him before George Washington came to power. If this is true, why do we never hear anything about them? Why do we laud George W (the original, not that idiot in the White House at the moment)so much? | Notes and Queries

I read somewhere that someone called David Rice Atkinson was actually the first president of the US (under the Articles of Confederation) and that there were nine others (each serving a year-long term) after him before George Washington came to power. If this is true, why do we never hear anything about them? Why do we laud George W (the original, not that idiot in the White House at the moment)so much?

Jeff Rushton, London

• There's an article on the way the US constitution came into being between 1776 and 1789 when GW became the first US Presiden at The people you have heard of were probably those who chaired the assemblies which preceded the US Congress.

  Alan Mills, Alne UK