
The Cabinet
George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution's Excellence in American History Book Award
Winner of the Thomas J. Wilson Memorial Prize
"Cogent, lucid, and conciseā¦An indispensable guide to the creation of the cabinetā¦Groundbreakingā¦we can now have a much greater appreciation of this essential American institution, one of the major legacies of George Washington's enlightened statecraft."
āRon Chernow
On November 26, 1791, George Washington convened his department secretariesāAlexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox, and Edmund Randolphāfor the first cabinet meeting. Why did he wait two and a half years into his presidency to call his cabinet? Because the US Constitution did not create or provide for such a body. Faced with diplomatic crises, domestic insurrection, and constitutional challengesāand finding congressional help distinctly lackingāhe decided he needed a group of advisors he could turn to for guidance.
Authoritative and compulsively readable, The Cabinet reveals the far-reaching consequences of this decision. To Washington's dismay, the tensions between Hamilton and Jefferson sharpened partisan divides, contributing to the development of the first party system. As he faced an increasingly recalcitrant Congress, he came to treat the cabinet as a private advisory body, greatly expanding the role of the executive branch and indelibly transforming the presidency.
"Important and illuminatingā¦an original angle of vision on the foundations and development of something we all take for granted."
āJon Meacham
"Fantasticā¦A compelling story."
āNew Criterion
"Helps us understand pivotal moments in the 1790s and the creation of an independent, effective executive."
āWall Street Journal
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Forged in War
- 2. The Original Team of Rivals
- 3. Setting the Stage
- 4. The Early Years
- 5. The Cabinet Emerges
- 6. A Foreign Challenge
- 7. A Domestic Threat
- 8. A Cabinet in Crisis
- Epilogue
- Citation and Abbreviation Guide
- Notes
- Acknowledgments
- Index