The U.S. Constitution did not stipulate that the President have a cabinet. George Washington established the first cabinet upon taking office and realizing that he needed trusted advisors to support him in his new role and in the formation of the executive branch of government.
Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky discusses the formation of the first cabinet in this White House Historical Association produced video.
 |
| Source: Library of Congress |
The above depiction was produced and published in 1876, and shows from left to right:
- President, George Washington
- Secretary of War, Henry Knox
- Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton
- Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson
- Attorney General, Edmund Randolph
An American historical painter, Alonzo Chappel, produced a painting of the first cabinet in 1879. The picture below is from the Knox Museum, where it is on display.
 |
| Sources Knox Museum Facebook Page Museum of the City of New York |
