Final answer:
George Washington's cabinet split during his second term due to the rise of Federalist and Republican factions with contrasting views on the strength of central government and foreign policy.
Step-by-step explanation:
During George Washington's second term, his cabinet split mainly due to the emergence of two political factions: the Federalists and the Republicans. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, favored a strong central government and supported policies that would strengthen federal authority, such as Hamilton's financial plan and a pro-British foreign policy. On the other side, the Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, advocated for a limited central government, favoring states' rights and a pro-French stance in foreign affairs. The deep ideological divide over how to interpret the Constitution and the appropriate direction for the country's domestic and foreign policy led to this split. This tension was exacerbated by events like the Whiskey Rebellion and differing views on America's role in relation to the European conflicts of the time.