Discover the Secrets: Top 10 Astonishing Fun Facts About the Cabinet You Never Knew

1. Founding Fathers' Poker Night

When Thomas Jefferson wasn't busy drafting the Declaration of Independence or making Monticello his architectural playground, he played host to what can only be described as the Founding Fathers' coolest poker night: the Democratic-Republican dream team of James Madison, Albert Gallatin, and Henry Dearborn! But alas, there weren't any chips exchanged or royal flushes to be had: instead, this gather-'round of Jefferson's cabinet marked the rise of the political party era in American history. It was within these meetings that decisions critical to the nation's future were made, with each member offering input before Jefferson laid down the law.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Presidential Island or Cabinet?

Before the United States Congress ever had to "open the cabinet", they had to decide on which appliance to use: a presidential island or a full-blown cabinet of ministers. However, unlike kitchen renovation choices, the result became a democracy must-have: the term "Cabinet" was born at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where it was decided to give the president full executive power while allowing them to seek opinions from principal officers in each executive department. This bevy of decision-makers got its first test-drive when George Washington gathered his Cabinet for the inaugural meeting in 1793.
Source => thoughtco.com

Did you know George Washington's famous dentures were far from wooden? Discover the surprising materials used in his peculiar pearly whites!

=> Fun Facts about George-Washington

3. Renaissance Cabinet-Unplugged

Dinner parties during the Italian Renaissance really went *cabinet-unplugged*: The primary purpose of cabinets of curiosities, filled with rare objects and oddities from around the world, was to entertain guests with wild tales of mythical adventures and far-off lands, all while remaining chaotically organized and utterly up to the owner's taste.
Source => sothebysinstitute.com

4. George Washington's OG Squad

Gather 'round, fellow time travelers, as we journey back to the inception of the U.S. Cabinet – a time when men wore wigs, horses were the mode of transport, and teenagers didn't speak in emojis: In 1789, George Washington's OG Squad had just four members - the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of War (now part of the Department of Defense), and the Attorney General. Centuries have passed, and members have come and gone, but the current Cabinet remains a close-knit group of 15 executive departments, just like in 1989, when the Department of Veterans' Affairs was established.
Source => u-s-history.com

5. James Bond's Paperwork Cousin

If James Bond had a less glamorous, paperwork-ridden cousin, they'd definitely carry around the "red box": a British ministerial dispatch box, lined with lead to sink if thrown overboard during capture. This trusty government companion is made of slow-grown pine with a black satin interior, and embossed with the owner's title and the reigning monarch's royal cypher as a stylish finishing touch.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Sweden's Gender-Equal Cabinet

In a cabinet so balanced it could give a tightrope walker a run for their money, the 2014 Swedish government decided to shelf the male monopoly for a more equitable approach: Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven formed a coalition government with the Social Democrats and the Green Party, creating a cabinet that consisted of 12 men and 12 women for the first time in 57 years, making it one of the most gender-equal cabinets in Swedish history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Churchill's Prime Ministerial Potty

Who knew that even toilets could play a crucial role in saving the world from evil? Winston Churchill, apparently: This prime ministerial potty was actually a top-secret telephone room used by Churchill himself to hush-hush chitchats with the President of the United States during World War II – which is on display at the Churchill War Rooms museum today.
Source => iwm.org.uk

8. Cabinet Reshuffles: Vegas Style

Shuffling the deck more than a Vegas dealer at a high-stakes poker game: In parliamentary systems, cabinet reshuffles allow the head of government to breathe new life into the administration — swapping out saggy ministers for fresh faces and introducing novel departments — all in the name of keeping policies and priorities as sprightly as a spring chicken!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Spilling Top-Secret Tea at the Cabinet Room

Where do presidents gather around to spill the (top-secret) tea? The Cabinet Room, of course: This historic meeting spot has seen U.S. Presidents and their top advisors spill far more than just tea since its inception in 1934, surviving multiple renovations, including a $6 million makeover under the keen eye of President Obama in 2010.
Source => georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov

10. Australian Pubs: More than Just Beer

Who needs a town hall when you have a pub? Australia sure didn't! In the land Down Under, all you needed was a watering hole to call it a community: Surprisingly, Australian pubs played a crucial role in the development of new towns, often serving as the first structure built and functioning as a hostelry, post office, restaurant, and gathering spot. This unique tradition led to a pub boom during the gold rush in the late 19th century, leaving behind a legacy of colonial-era pubs in both big cities and small country towns.
Source => en.wikipedia.org