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When George Washington took office in 1789, the Constitution outlined the presidency in just a few short pages—leaving out nearly all the day-to-day instructions for running a country.
Every single move Washington made created a precedent, which is an action or decision that later leaders follow as an established tradition.
Congress debated calling him "His Elective Majesty" or "His Highness," but Washington insisted on the simple, republican title of "Mr. President."
How did one man manage foreign diplomacy, mountain-sized war debts, and national defense all at once?

Building the First Cabinet

To solve this problem, Congress created four executive departments to advise the president, forming a council known as the cabinet.
Along with picking top advisers, Washington stepped down after two terms (eight years), establishing a two-term tradition that lasted until 1940.
These advisers did not always get along—in fact, two of them had completely opposite visions for America's future.

Clashing Visions: Hamilton vs. Jefferson

Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton believed the new nation needed a strong national bank and commercial industries to pay off heavy Revolutionary War debts.
Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson objected, arguing that farming was the true backbone of America and that the Constitution never granted power to create a national bank.