The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.
In order of succession to the Presidency:
Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden
Department of State Secretary John Kerry state.gov
Department of the Treasury Secretary Jack Lew treasury.gov
Department of Defense Secretary Ashton Carter defense.gov
Department of Justice Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch usdoj.gov
Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell doi.gov
Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack usda.gov
Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker commerce.gov
Department of Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez dol.gov
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell hhs.gov
Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro hud.gov
Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx dot.gov
Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz energy.gov
Department of Education Secretary John King ed.gov
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald va.gov
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson dhs.gov
The following positions have the status of Cabinet-rank:
The biggest motivation for the colonization/exploration of the Americas was the desire to find gold. At that time maritime trade was booming and gold was the standard currency and the most valuable. Also just like in every era power came with money which most wished to obtain. This led European explorers to set out in search for unclaimed gold mines for wealth and power.
