Historians Correct Nikki Haley After George Washington Tweet

Former U.S ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has been criticized on Twitter after she claimed that George Washington presided over drawing up the Constitution during his presidency.

"George Washington turned an army of ragtag troops into an unstoppable force that defeated the British & secured America's independence," Haley tweeted on Monday in celebration of Presidents Day.

"As President, he oversaw the creation of our Constitution & showed the world what it looks like to govern by the people and for the people," the former South Carolina governor said.

As historians on the social media site were quick to point out, the U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1787 and Washington became the nation's first president in 1789.

History professors highlighted the inaccuracies in Haley's post and joked about the number of errors she'd made.

"Historian here, the Constitution created the presidency and not vice versa. But maybe the Continental Army flown into airports managed to reverse time?" wrote Manish Sinha of the University of Connecticut.

Sinha was referring to remarks by former President Donald Trump about troops during the Revolutionary War taking over airports. There were no airplanes or airports in the late 18th century.

Dr. Joanne Freeman, a history professor at Yale, also took exception to Haley's assertions, tweeting: "The Continental army was FAR from an 'unstoppable force.'"

"The Constitution MADE Washington President," Freeman said. "And 'by the people & for the people' is a 19th century democratic view of US gov't in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Washington did a lot of noteworthy things. But not these."

Princeton historian Kevin M. Kruse struck a more comedic note, sending a reply to Haley saying: "As President, he ... traveled back in time?"

"One of his most under-appreciated superpowers, second only to telekinesis," joked Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler. Other users chimed in along similar lines.

"Was he born in a house that he built with his own two hands?" asked Seth Masket, political scientist at the University of Denver.

"George Washington oversaw the creation of our Constitution WHILE PRESIDENT? Did you know that, kids?" wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dan Fagin.

"That's some amazing historicalism stuff right there from Perfessor Haley! Also good to know the French had nothing to do with the events of 1781! It was ALL WASHINGTON, kids!"

Fagin is referring to the fact that French troops played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War and many historians of the period believe the colonists could not have succeeded without French intervention.

As some Twitter users pointed out, Washington was elected to serve as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 but this was a very different role from the executive presidency that the U.S. Constitution created. If Haley was referring to the former role, she did not make that clear.

Haley is widely considered a major figure in the Republican Party and she's frequently talked about as a future candidate for president. If nominated, she would be the first woman ever chosen by the GOP for the top of the ticket. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin became the first woman to win the party's vice-presidential nomination in 2008.