On June 8, 1798, President George Washington sent a letter to John Jay, directing the heads of federal departments to 'impress me with a full, precise & distinct general idea of the United States, so far as they are comprehended in, or connected with that Department.'
This was the first Executive Order issued in the United States. Now, 235 years and 46 presidents later, Executive Orders (EOs) are a commonplace thing.
