FRtR > Outlines > The American Government > Topics > The Cabinet
(All departments are headed by a secretary, except the Justice Department, which is headed by the attorney general.)
The Department Of Agriculture:
Created in 1862.
The Department Of Commerce:
Created in 1903. The Department of Commerce and Labor split into
two separate departments in 1913.
The Department Of Defense:
Amalgamated in 1947. The Department of Defense was established
by combining the Department of War (established in 1789), the
Department of the Navy (established in 1798) and the Department
of the Air Force (established in 1947). Although the secretary
of defense is a member of the Cabinet, the secretaries of the
Army, Navy and Air Force are not.
The Department Of Education:
Created in 1979. Formerly part of the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare.
The Department Of Energy:
Created in 1977.
The Department Of Health And Human Services:
Created in 1979, when the Department of Health, Education and
Welfare (created in 1953) was split into separate entities.
The Department Of Housing And Urban Development:
Created in 1965.
The Department Of The Interior:
Created in 1849.
The Department Of Justice:
Created in 1870. Between 1789 and 1870, the attorney general was
a member of the Cabinet, but not the head of a department.
The Department Of Labor:
Created in 1913.
The Department Of State:
Created in 1789.
The Department Of Transportation:
Created in 1966.
The Department Of The Treasury:
Created in 1789.
The Department Of Veterans Affairs:
Created in 1988. Formerly the Veterans Administration, now
elevated to Cabinet level.