When it came to appointing people to help him run the country, Washington showed great thought, care, and intelligence in his selections.
Cabinet Members
While the current presidential cabinet includes sixteen members, George Washington’s cabinet included just four original members.
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How President Washington Made the First Appointments
Learn how Washington's rationale for selecting cabinet members broke from established European tradition.
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Ron Chernow Sit-Down
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow discusses the first presidential cabinet.
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Jefferson and Hamilton: Political Rivals in Washington's Cabinet
President Washington valued differences of opinion — until he came to realize the very personal nature of the differences between two of his cabinet members.
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Douglas Bradburn: Forming a Cabinet
Washington Library Founding Director Douglas Bradburn discusses Washington's method of forming his cabinet.
Washington, Jefferson, and Madison
Once allies, politics served to fracture the relationships of these founding fathers from Virginia.
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Podcast: Creating a Cabinet with Lindsay Chervinsky
Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky joins the Washington Library to explore the cabinet’s emergence during George Washington’s presidency.
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Presidential Precedents
Washington was well aware that he had been given the power to shape the American presidency.
Justice Kennedy on Washington's Cabinet
Justice Anthony Kennedy discusses Washington's creation of the cabinet within his first administration.
Step Inside Washington's Cabinet
The Situation Room Experience is a high-stakes environment where students examine the functions of the American government through a multitude of sources and active participation.
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