Which early U.S. leader established the first presidential cabinet and set the practice of serving two terms?

• A. George Washington
• B. Andrew Jackson
• C. Thomas Jefferson
• D. John Quincy Adams

Answer: (A)

George Washington created the presidential cabinet by inviting senior department heads—like the secretary of state, secretary of the treasury, and secretary of war—along with the attorney general to advise him. This established the structured team that helps a president make decisions and run the executive branch, a practice later copied by every president. He also set the tradition of serving two terms by stepping down after eight years, a voluntary limit that became a norm for presidents for many years until it was later formalized in the constitutional amendment. These two actions—forming an organized advisory cabinet and establishing a two-term precedent—are why Washington is the best answer.