Samuel Huntington

Samuel Huntington (1732-January 5, 1796) was the sixth President of the Continental Congress, and thus the leader of what was to become the United States, from September 28, 1779, until ill health forced him to resign on July 9, 1781. He was preceded in office by John Jay and succeeded by Thomas McKean.

A farmer's son, Huntington had little formal education, and was self-taught as a lawyer. He served in the colonial Connecticut legislature and then as king's attorney; in 1774 he became a judge. He joined the Continental Congress in January 1776, and later that year voted for the Declaration of Independence.

After serving in the Continental Congress, Huntington briefly served as head of the Connecticut superior court, before becoming lieutenant governor. In 1786 he was elected governor, and was reelected annually until his death.

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Samuel Huntington is also political scientist who has been involved in an number of topics including the relationship between the military and the civil government. He is famous for his investigations of coup d'etats and of his thesis, outlined in his book, Clash of Civilizations, that the central political actors of the 21st century will be civilizations rather than nation-states.