• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar

New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

  • Email
  • RSS
  • Adirondacks & NNY
  • Capital-Saratoga
  • Mohawk Valley
  • Hudson Valley & Catskills
  • NYC & Long Island
  • Western NY
  • History
  • Nature & Environment
  • Arts & Culture
  • Outdoor Recreation
  • Food & Farms
  • Subscribe
  • Support
  • Submit
  • About
  • New Books
  • Events
  • Podcasts

Revolutionary War And The Presidency

March 20, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The CabinetThe Councils of Wars that were held by General Washington and his Officers set precedence with how President Washington interacted with his fellow political leaders and more specifically, his Cabinet. The US Constitution never established a presidential cabinet―the delegates to the Constitutional Convention explicitly rejected the idea.

Faced with diplomatic crises, domestic insurrections, and constitutional challenges―and finding congressional help lacking―Washington decided he needed a group of advisors he could turn to. He modeled his new cabinet on the councils of war he had led as commander of the Continental Army. In the early days, the cabinet served at the President’s pleasure. Washington tinkered with its structure throughout his administration, at times calling regular meetings, at other times preferring written advice and individual discussions.

The tensions in the cabinet between Hamilton and Jefferson heightened partisanship and contributed to the development of the first party system. And as Washington faced an increasingly recalcitrant Congress, he came to treat the cabinet as a private advisory body to summon as needed, greatly expanding the role of the president and the executive branch.

The Fort Plain Museum will host “Councils of War and the Cabinet: How the Revolutionary War Shaped the Presidency,” a free virtual presentation by Lindsay M. Chervinsky set for Monday, March 28th. In this talk, Chervinsky will look at how the Revolutionary War helped form the Presidency under George Washington. Chervinsky will look at how George Washington was able to create one of the most powerful bodies in the federal government.

Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky is a historian of the presidency, political culture, and the government — especially the president’s cabinet. Her research can be found in publications from op-eds to books, speaking on podcasts and other media, and teaching for every kind of audience.

Dr. Chervinsky’s book, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, was published on April 7th, 2020. She also writes a monthly column for Governing and Washington Monthly. She is the cohost of The Past, The Promise, The Presidency, and a regular guest on The Thomas Jefferson Hour podcast. She is the creator of the Audible course: The Best and Worst Presidential Cabinets in U.S. History.

This program will take place at 7 pm and will take place via Zoom. Registration is required and can be completed online.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, Events, History Tagged With: Fort Plain Museum

About Editorial Staff

Stories written under the Editorial Staff byline are drawn from press releases and other notices. Submit your news to New York Almanack here.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Help Support The Almanack

Subscribe to New York Almanack

Subscribe! Follow the New York Almanack each day via E-mail, RSS, Twitter or Facebook updates.

Recent Comments

  • Ed Zahniser on Poetry – ‘Wir Haben Wegener Gefunden Tod Im Eis’
  • Linda El Bey on The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and NYC’s Minority Plumbers
  • Will on A New History of the Wallkill Central Schools
  • Jim Osekowsky on Working the Bugs Out of Firewood
  • Pamela Carlucci on The Rise and Fall of NY’s Taylor Wine Company
  • Lynne Westra on NY’s Frank Myers Of The 54th Massachusetts: Correcting The Historical Record
  • Catherine Berkley on The Shooting of Adirondack Guide Alex White
  • Michael A Mazza on French Canadian Rev War Veteran Antoine Paulin’s Grave Being Marked in Champlain
  • peter Waggitt on Raines Law, Loopholes and Prohibition
  • Anthony St Phillips on War of 1812: Carrying the Great Rope

Recent New York Books

Without Concealment, Without Compromise
Washington’s Marines
Major General Israel Putnam hero of the American Revolution
v is for victory
The Motorcycle Industry in New York State
Unfriendly to Liberty
weeds of the northeast
Putting Out the Planetary Fire: An Introduction to Climate Action and Advocacy
Seneca Ray Stoddard An Intimate Portrait of an Adirondack Legend
rebels at sea

Secondary Sidebar

Mohawk Valley Trading Company Honey, Honey Comb, Buckwheat Honey, Beeswax Candles, Maple Syrup, Maple Sugar
preservation league