Little has been written about the role of the cabinet in United States history. In fact, there is not one word about it in the Constitution. As an extension of his earlier trilogy on the three branches of our government, Gerald Johnson now writes a history of the Cabinet for young people, and perhaps no historian is more qualified to do so.

Starting with Washington's administration, this book explains how the Cabinet has developed into the governmental body we know today. Each President stamped his own character on his Cabinet, and Mr. Johnson analyzes the important ones with originality and insight. For example, he characterizes Washington's Cabinet as a council of state, while he calls Jackson's a false front behind which the real work was done. Lincoln's he describes as a team of wild animals harnessed and driven by one tremendously strong man.

Once again Mr. Johnson has written a book that is extremely vital, not only to our knowledge of American government, but to our participation in it. The striking scratchboard illustrations by Leonard Everett Fisher add to the book's distinction. 

From dust jacket