I just finished reading a book titled " Washington's Circle: The Creation of the President ." It's one of the best books I've read in a long time, and one I highly recommend if you're interested in history and politics. It harks back to an era when a fledgling nation was led by some of the brightest minds in its history. Rounding out Washington's cabinet was Secretary of State and future President Thomas Jefferson, who formed the Democratic-Republican party; Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, who established the first Bank of the United States and helped found the Federalist Party; Secretary of War Henry Knox; and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Many historians deem this the best presidential cabinet ever to be assembled. Despite their differing political views, these men led the nation through turbulent waters in the late 1700s. From strained relations with the British and French that brought the nascent country to the brink of war to par...