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2. Creating the Presidency
The framers of the Constitution sparked a revolution in government when they created the presidency in 1787. No one at that time, not even the framers themselves, had a clear vision of what the president of a national republic would do. The framers decided on a single executive who would wield extraordinary powers, one which would far outstrip those of existing state governors. The president would have command over the armed forces. He would have the authority to direct diplomatic relations and the power to make appointments to the executive and judicial branches. He would have the power to make treaties and inform Congress on the State of the Union. He would recommend measures for the legislature's consideration, receive ambassadors, and ensure that the laws were faithfully executed. And to ensure the president's independence, the framers decided that he would not be elected by the legislature but by "electors" who would cast ballots. Widely trusted and immensely popular, George Washington seemed a natural choice for president. His enormous reputation, plus the country's experience with a weak central government under the Articles of Confederation after the Revolution, explains why Americans came to accept what seemed unthinkable in 1776: a strong centralized government and a powerful chief executive. Participants in the new government knew they were establishing models for the future. No one was more conscious of this responsibility than the first president. Always aware of symbolism, Washington struck a careful balance between acting too regal and acting too egalitarian. Most important, he established the presidency as the central power of the executive branch. He carefully maintained the dominance of the office, never ceding its authority to his cabinet secretaries, never granting its powers to the other branches of government.
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