Curated playlist
1789 establishments in the United States
- United States Attorney GeneralThe US attorney general is the only Cabinet department head without the title Secretary.
- United States Secretary of StateAs secretary of state, Henry Kissinger received two resignation letters that changed American history.
- Constitution of the United StatesBy 1786, the United States was close to defaulting on its debts. Congress could print money, but it was worthless.
- United States Department of StateThe State Department began with just six people, two diplomatic posts and ten consular offices.
- Vice President of the United StatesHarry Truman became president in 1945 without ever having been told about the Manhattan Project.
- Supreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court says yes to only about 80 of roughly 7,000 requests each year.
- United States SenateBy 2020, California had 70 times Wyoming's population, yet both states get two U.S. senators.
- United States Department of the TreasuryIn June 1775, Congress hired 28 Philadelphians to sign paper money by hand. That began the U.S. Treasury Department.
- President of the United StatesUnder the Articles of Confederation, the American president was only a discussion moderator.
- United States House of RepresentativesThe U.S. House has 435 voting members because of a compromise over state size. Big states wanted seats by population.
- Federal government of the United StatesThe Supreme Court's power to strike down laws is not written in the Constitution.
- United States CongressThe United States Congress has two chambers because large and small states fought over fairness.
- United States Department of WarThe U.S. Department of War lost its name in 1947 and got it back in 2025.