who did washington choose to be the attorney general

by Kyleigh Harris MD 7 min read

Randolph had handled much of President Washington's personal legal work, and Washington appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789 and then as Secretary of State in 1794. After leaving government service, Randolph represented Aaron Burr during Burr's 1807 trial for treason.

Did George Washington have an attorney general?

Dec 23, 2020 · Who did Washington choose as his state department head? T homas Jefferson In selecting the four members of his first cabinet—Thomas Jefferson as secretary of state, Alexander Hamilton as secretary of treasury, Henry Knox as secretary of war, and Edmund Randolph as attorney general—Washington balanced the two parties evenly.

Who was the first Attorney General in the US?

Mar 31, 2021 · When Washington signed the Judiciary Act of 1789, he not only created the federal judiciary but also founded the office of Attorney General. Why did Washington choose Jefferson and Jefferson for important cabinet positions? Cabinet …

Who did George Washington appoint as Secretary of State in 1789?

Who was the last Secretary of State under George Washington?

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Who did Washington pick to be the first Attorney General what was his job?

He chose Edmund Randolph for the job. At first, the attorney general was not ranked as a member of the cabinet, but Washington wanted Randolph at all of his cabinet meetings to give legal advice whenever it was needed. Soon, the attorney general became an official member of the cabinet.

Why did Washington appoint Jefferson and Hamilton?

Washington wanted to set a good example by appointing the best people to his administration – so it was natural that Washington (57) would choose two of the most talented young Americans he knew – Alexander Hamilton (32) and Thomas Jefferson (46) to serve with him.

Why did George Washington pick Edmund Randolph?

Washington's Cabinet President Washington rewarded Randolph for his support. Randolph was appointed as the first U.S. Attorney General in September 1789 and maintained the precarious neutrality in the feud between Thomas Jefferson (of whom Randolph was a second cousin) and Alexander Hamilton.

Did George Washington have an Attorney General?

He did not remain in the House of Delegates for long, because in 1789 Washington appointed him as the nation's first Attorney General. Randolph was tasked with essentially defining the country's justice system. In 1794, he replaced Jefferson as Secretary of State.

Who did George Washington support?

General George Washington led the American army to victory during the Revolutionary War. Despite having little practical experience in managing large, conventional armies, Washington proved to be a capable and resilient leader of the American military forces during the Revolutionary War.

Was George Washington friends with Hamilton?

Though they worked in close proximity for years, Alexander Hamilton and George Washington never became close friends; different positions and different personalities prevented it. However, they gave each other things that were perhaps more valuable.

What was James Madison role?

James Madison, America's fourth President (1809-1817), made a major contribution to the ratification of the Constitution by writing The Federalist Papers, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In later years, he was referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.”

Was George Washington friends with Edmund Randolph?

Randolph's friendship with Washington continued, and soon Randolph was handling Washington's personal legal affairs. Randolph's political career began in 1776 when he served in the Virginia Constitutional Convention. He helped draft a BILL OF RIGHTS and a state constitution.

Who replaced Jefferson in Washington's cabinet?

After serving two terms, Jefferson was succeeded by Secretary of State James Madison, also of the Democratic-Republican Party.

Who was the attorney general when Washington was president?

General Edmund RandolphWashington's Cabinet While the current presidential cabinet includes sixteen members, George Washington's cabinet included just four original members: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.

What did Washington and Jefferson agree about?

Washington, while officially not belonging to a political party, tended to have more of a Federalist leaning. Federalists supported a strong, centralized government with the power to tax and regulate the economy. Jefferson, however, was a committed Anti-Federalist.Jan 13, 2022

What party was George Washington?

In the long history of the United States, only one president, George Washington, did not represent a political party.

George Washington’s First Cabinet

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In the first year of George Washington’s presidency, only three executive departments were established: the Departments of State, Treasury, and War. Washington selected secretaries for each of these positions. His choices were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton,
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Judiciary Act of 1789

  • On April 30, 1789, Washington took the oath of office as America’s first president. It was not until almost five months later, on Sept. 24, 1789, that Washington signed into law the Judiciary Act of 1789, which not only established the office of the U.S. attorney general but also established a three-part judicial system consisting of: 1. The Supreme Court (which at the time consisted of o…
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Cabinet Nominations

  • Washington waited until September to form his first cabinet. The four positions were quickly filled in only 15 days. He hoped to balance out the nominations by choosing members from different regions of the newly formed United States. Alexander Hamilton (1787–1804) was appointed and quickly approved by the Senate as the first secretary of the treasury on Sept. 11, 1789. Hamilton …
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Issues Facing Washington’s Cabinet

  • President Washington held his first cabinet meeting on Feb. 25, 1793. James Madison coined the term "cabinet" for this meeting of the executive department heads. Washington’s cabinet meetings soon became quite acrimonious, with Jefferson and Hamilton taking opposite positions over the issue of a national bank that was part of Hamilton’s financial plan. Hamilton had created a finan…
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Sources

  1. Borrelli, MaryAnne. "The President's Cabinet: Gender, Power, and Representation." Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002.
  2. Cohen, Jeffrey E. "The Politics of the U.S. Cabinet: Representation in the Executive Branch, 1789–1984." Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1988.
  3. Hinsdale, Mary Louise. "A History of the President's Cabinet." Ann Arbor: University of Michig…
  1. Borrelli, MaryAnne. "The President's Cabinet: Gender, Power, and Representation." Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002.
  2. Cohen, Jeffrey E. "The Politics of the U.S. Cabinet: Representation in the Executive Branch, 1789–1984." Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1988.
  3. Hinsdale, Mary Louise. "A History of the President's Cabinet." Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Historical Studies, 1911.