Why is the department called the Department of State?
Why is the Department called the Department of State? On September 15, 1789, Congress passed “An Act to provide for the safe keeping of the Acts, Records, and Seal of the United States, and for other purposes.”. This law changed the name of the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of State because certain domestic duties were ...
Why was the Department of State created?
- Prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks
- Protect the American people, infrastructure, and key resources
- Respond to and recover from incidents that do occur
Who was the founder of the Department of State?
To that end, on July 21, 1789, the First Congress approved legislation to establish a Department of Foreign Affairs, which President George Washington signed into law on July 27, making the Department the first federal agency to be created under the new Constitution. This legislation remains the basic law of the Department of State.
What is the most important thing of Department of State?
These included:
- Receipt, publication, distribution, and preservation of the laws of the United States;
- Preparation, sealing, and recording of the commissions of Presidential appointees;
- Preparation and authentication of copies of records and authentication of copies under the Department's seal;
- Custody of the Great Seal of the United States; and
What is the Department of State called?
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations.
Who was the first Department of State?
Introduction. Thomas Jefferson served as the first Secretary of State from March 22, 1790, to December 31, 1793. Jefferson brought remarkable talents to a long career guiding U.S. foreign affairs.
When was the State Department founded?
July 27, 1789United States Department of State / Founded
What is the history of the Department of State?
The Emerging State Department, 1789-1860 The House and Senate approved legislation to establish a Department of Foreign Affairs on July 21, 1789, and President Washington signed it into law on July 27, making the Department of Foreign Affairs the first Federal agency to be created under the new Constitution.
Why is it called the State Department?
On September 15, 1789, Congress passed “An Act to provide for the safe keeping of the Acts, Records, and Seal of the United States, and for other purposes.” This law changed the name of the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of State because certain domestic duties were assigned to the agency.
Who founded the State Department?
Our History The first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, oversaw a small staff of one chief clerk, three other clerks, a translator, and a messenger. They maintained only two diplomatic posts, in London and Paris, as well as 10 consular posts.
Why is State Department called Foggy Bottom?
History. Foggy Bottom is thought to have received its name due to an atmospheric quirk of its low lying, marshy riverside location, which made it susceptible to concentrations of fog, and later, industrial smoke.
What is the difference between the State Department and Department of State?
The Department of State advises the President and leads the nation in foreign policy issues. The State Department negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign entities, and represents the United States at the United Nations.
How many departments are in the State Department?
We organize countries and areas into six geographical regions, each corresponding to one of our six “regional” bureaus.
What is the oldest department in creation and what year was it created?
DepartmentsDepartmentCreationOrder of successionState17891Treasury17892Defense19473Justice1870412 more rows
What was the name of the third department created by Congress?
In 1789, Congress created three Executive Departments: Foreign Affairs (later in the same year renamed State), Treasury, and War.
How far is the State Department from the White House?
The distance line on map shows distance from Department of Justice to The White House between two cities....Distance between Department of Justice and The White House is 1.16 km.Department of Justice38.8923815-77.0249909The White House38.8976763-77.0365298Distance1.16 km0.72 miles
Who is the leader of Department of State?
Antony J. BlinkenAntony J. Blinken was sworn in as the 71st U.S. Secretary of State on January 26, 2021. The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser.
What did the Department of State do?
The Department of State advises the President and leads the nation in foreign policy issues. The State Department negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign entities, and represents the United States at the United Nations.
How many departments are in the State Department?
We organize countries and areas into six geographical regions, each corresponding to one of our six “regional” bureaus.
What was the name of the third department created by Congress?
In 1789, Congress created three Executive Departments: Foreign Affairs (later in the same year renamed State), Treasury, and War.
Where was the State Department located in the 1800s?
From 1790 to 1800, the State Department was headquartered in Philadelphia, the national capital at the time. It occupied a building at Church and Fifth Street. In 1800, it moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., where it briefly occupied the Treasury Building and then the Seven Buildings at 19th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
What did the Department of State do in 1789?
In September 1789, additional legislation changed the name of the agency to the Department of State and assigned it a variety of domestic duties, including managing the United States Mint, keeping the Great Seal of the United States, and administering the census. President Washington signed the new legislation on September 15.
How many buildings did the State Department move in the 1800s?
The State Department moved several times throughout the capital in the ensuing decades, including six buildings in September 1800; the War Office Building west of the White House the following May; the Treasury Building once more from September 1819 to November 1866; the Washington City Orphan Home from November 1866 to July 1875; and the State, War, and Navy Building in 1875.
What is the role of the Secretary of State?
Analogous to a foreign minister, the secretary of state serves as the federal government's chief diplomat and representative abroad, and is the first Cabinet official in the order of precedence and in the presidential line of succession.
What is the DOS?
The United States Department of State ( DOS ), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the nation's foreign policy and international relations.
When did the Department of State merge with the Foreign Service?
The Department of State underwent its first major overhaul with the Rogers Act of 1924, which merged the diplomatic and consular services into the Foreign Service, a professionalized personnel system under which the Secretary of State is authorized to assign diplomats abroad.
When was the Department of Foreign Affairs created?
To that end, on July 21, 1789, the First Congress approved legislation to establish a Department of Foreign Affairs, which President George Washington signed into law on July 27, making the department the first federal agency to be created under the new Constitution. This legislation remains the basic law of the Department of State.
Where was the State Department located in the 1960s?
In the 1960s, a new State Department building attached to the old one brought together most, although not all, of about 7,000 Department employees in Washington, D.C. State Department principals and most of the assistant secretaries occupied suites on the 7th floor while the staffs were arranged vertically below them, to the extent possible. The Agency for International Development, which coordinated U.S. foreign assistance programs, and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency also shared space with the State Department, and by the 1980s State Department personnel and activities had spread into more than 20 buildings around the District of Columbia.
What is the Department of State?
In 1996, the Department of State is in its third century as the flagship foreign affairs agency of the U.S. Federal Government. The Department has provided support and expertise to Presidents and Secretaries of State, worked with Congress, and served and protected the citizens of the United States as the nation grew to become a great power. For over 200 years, the Department of State has conducted American diplomacy through war and peace, amidst the competing currents of isolationism and internationalism that have shaped American foreign policy and its commitment to liberty and democracy.
Why did the Secretary of State create an Operations Center?
The Secretaries of State and their close advisers sought to make use of the most modern technology, communications, and management in order to be better able to meet the recurrent crises and threats to American interests around the world . An Operations Center was established in April 1961 to provide the Department of State with instant worldwide crisis communications . The first computer was installed in the Department in 1962 and by 1972 computers managed the bulk of Department communications with posts abroad. Secretaries of State often had to take the Department "on the road" in order to deal in person with critical negotiations such as Secretary Kissinger's "shuttle diplomacy" in 1974 to stabilize the tensions in the Middle East and begin the long peace process in the region.
What was the importance of the Department of State during the Civil War?
The Department of State focused upon managing the gradual broadening of U.S. diplomatic relations and the spread of American ships and commerce to all corners of the world. There were few major foreign policy problems: negotiating with the British the northern border with Canada and resolving, through diplomacy and sometimes war, the conflicts with Mexico over the southwestern frontier. Congress gradually removed from the Department of State its domestic duties and transferred them to new departments and agencies such as the Department of Interior and the Census Bureau. The Secretaries of State continued to be the preeminent members of the President's cabinet, but only twice more (Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan) would former Secretaries of State become President. Presidents from Andrew Jackson to James Buchanan made the nation's few really important foreign affairs decisions.
How did the American diplomatic service expand?
The American diplomatic service expanded slowly in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the nation was adamantly opposed to extensive diplomatic contacts with European nations. In 1790, the United States sent ministers plenipotentiary to only two countries--France and Great Britain. By 1830, the number grew to 15; by 1860 to 33. The consular service, on the other hand, grew steadily during this time. Consuls, commercial agents, and consular agents protected American ships and crews abroad and promoted the expansion of American commerce. American consular posts grew in number from 10 in 1790 to 141 in 1831 and 253 in 1860. (See Consular and Diplomatic Posts Table, 1781-1997 )
What was the purpose of the State Department after the Civil War?
After the Civil War, the State Department gained a more appropriate bureaucratic structure to deal with its increasing responsibility of serving the interests of a rapidly industrializing America whose economic growth was beginning to outdistance most European powers. In 1870, Secretary Hamilton Fish redefined the Department's bureau structure and issued a series of rules and regulations updating its administrative practices. Fish also secured from Congress the addition of a Third Assistant Secretary of State (Secretary Seward had a Second Assistant Secretary added to the Department in 1866).
What was the effect of professionalization of the Foreign Service and the Department of State in the first decades of the 20th?
Professionalization of the Foreign Service and the Department of State in the first decades of the 20th century did little initially to undo the elitist character of U.S. diplomacy. Appointment to the Foreign Service continued to be essentially confined to members of the prosperous white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant community. Foreign policy was made at the Department of State with little reference to the broad democratic community of people and interests. President Wilson's progressivist policies began to change the style of American diplomacy.
Where is the Department of State located?
The Department of State moved its offices from a building on Broadway in New York to 307 Market Street in Philadelphia.
Who was the first Secretary of State?
Thomas Jefferson was commissioned as the first Secretary of State. He had just ended an assignment as Minister to France and assumed his new duties March 22, 1790.
How much did the Second and Third Assistant Secretaries of State get paid?
A deficiency appropriations act (30 Stat. 652) raised the salaries of the Second and Third Assistant Secretaries of State from $3,500 to $4,000. A federal appropriations act of April 17, 1900, (31 Stat. 97) raised their salaries to $4,500, the same as that of the Assistant Secretary.
How much did the Chief Clerk make in 1818?
The Chief Clerk, whose salary was $2,000, became the chief administrative officer of the Department. Other clerks’ salaries ranged from $1,250 to $1,500.
What was the salary of the Secretary of State in 1789?
67) established the first pay scale of the Department of Foreign Affairs: the Secretary’s salary was $3,500, the Chief Clerk’s was $800, and other clerks’ salaries were not to exceed $500 each.
What was the first pay scale for diplomats?
128) established the first pay scale for U.S. diplomats. A Minister’s salary was $9,000; a Chargé d’Affaires earned $4,500. Overall expenses for “foreign intercourse” were set at $40,000.
When did the United States acquire its first foreign property?
The United States acquired its first foreign property, when Sultan Moulay Suleiman of Morocco made a gift of a building in Tangier to U.S. Consul John Mullowny. This building later housed the U.S. Legation and became a Consulate General in 1956. It became the Center for the Study of Moroccan-American Relations and the Museum of Moroccan-American Relations on July 6, 1976.
When was the State Department created?
The State Department also represents the United States in the United Nations. Created in 1789, the State Department was the first executive branch department established after final ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
What is the state department?
The United States Department of State also referred to as “the State Department” or simply “State,” is the executive branch department of the United States federal government primarily responsible for administering U.S. foreign policy and consulting with the President of the United States and Congress on international ...
What is the State Department's consular information program?
In addition, the State Department’s Consular Information Program informs the American public of conditions abroad that may affect their safety and security while traveling abroad. Country-specific travel information and global Travel Alerts and Warnings are vital parts of the program.
What was the Department of State responsible for?
For example, the law made the Department of State responsible for running the United States Mint and conducting the decennial U.S. census.
What is the role of the State Department in the United States?
Similar the foreign ministries in other nations, the State Department conduct international diplomatic relations on the part of the United States by negotiating treaties and other agreements with foreign governments. The State Department also represents the United States in the United Nations. Created in 1789, the State Department was the first executive branch department established after final ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
What are the functions of the State Department?
The primary functions of the State Department include: 1 Provide protection and assistance for U.S. citizens traveling or living abroad; 2 Assist U.S. businesses and industries operating in the global marketplace; 3 Coordinate and provide support for international activities of other U.S. agencies, official visits overseas and at home, and other diplomatic efforts; 4 Inform the public about U.S. foreign policy and relations with other countries and provide feedback from the public to administration officials.
What is the State Department's foreign assistance program?
All activities of the State Department, including foreign assistance programs, representing the U.S. abroad, countering international crime and human trafficking , and all other services and programs are paid for through the foreign affairs component of the annual federal budget as requested by the president and approved by Congress.
What is the body of law, customs and practices governing diplomatic conduct called?
The body of law, customs and practices governing diplomatic conduct is called protocol. It is derived from the Greek words proto (first) and collon (glued), meaning that the first page of a manuscript, often serving as a summary of a treaty or diplomatic dispatch, must be glued to the outside of the document or volume.
When was the Chief of Protocol appointed?
The State Department first appointed a full-time protocol officer in 1916 and established the Office of the Chief of Protocol on February 4, 1928. In 1946, the President commissioned the State Department’s Chief of Protocol to also carry the title “Chief of Protocol of the White House.”.
What is the State Department responsible for?
At one time, the State Department was responsible for a number of domestic duties ranging from publication of the census to control of copyright to management of the Mint. We now work to fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives while building a more free, prosperous, and secure world.
What is the mission of the Department of State?
Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. The FAM and FAH govern how we do our work.
What is the role of a deputy secretary of state?
Serves as the principal deputy, adviser, and alter ego to the Secretary of State; and assists the Secretary in the formulation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy and in giving general supervision and direction to all elements of the Department.
Who was the first Secretary of State?
The first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, oversaw a small staff of one chief clerk, three other clerks, a translator, and a messenger. They maintained only two diplomatic posts, in London and Paris, as well as 10 consular posts.
Where is the National Museum of American Diplomacy located?
The National Museum of American Diplomacy. This new museum, located at our headquarters in Washington, DC, tells the story of the history, practice, and challenges of American diplomacy. Through exhibitions and programs, it inspires the American public to discover diplomacy and how it impacts their lives every day.
When was the Department of Foreign Affairs created?
On January 10, 1780, the Confederation Congress created the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Who was the only person to serve as Secretary of State for more than eight years?
Washburne in 1869. This is a list of United States secretaries of state by time in office. This is based on the difference between dates; if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be one greater. Cordell Hull is the only person to have served as Secretary of State for more than eight years.
How many former secretaries of state are there in 2021?
As of July 2021, there are nine living former secretaries of state (with all secretaries that have served since 1997 still living), the oldest being Henry Kissinger (served 1973–1977, born 1923). The most recent secretary of state to die was George Shultz (served 1982–1989, born 1920) on February 6, 2021.
When did the Secretary of Foreign Affairs get reinstated?
The office of Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs were reinstated by a law signed by George Washington on July 27, 1789. John Jay retained the post on an interim basis, pending the return of Thomas Jefferson from France.
Overview
History
The Articles of Confederation did not designate a separate executive branch of the government. Foreign affairs were delegated to the Committee of Secret Correspondence by the Congress of the Confederation in 1775, based on the Committee of Correspondence that was used by the colony of Massachusetts to communicate with the other colonies. The Committee of Secret Correspond…
Duties and responsibilities
The Executive Branch and the Congress have constitutional responsibilities for US foreign policy. Within the Executive Branch, the Department of State is the lead US foreign affairs agency, and its head, the secretary of state, is the president's principal foreign policy advisor. The department advances US objectives and interests in the world through its primary role in developing an…
Organization
The secretary of state is the chief executive officer of the Department of State and a member of the Cabinet who answers directly to, and advises, the president of the United States. The secretary organizes and supervises the entire department and its staff.
Under the Obama administration, the website of the Department of State had i…
Headquarters
From 1790 to 1800, the State Department was headquartered in Philadelphia, the national capital at the time. It occupied a building at Church and Fifth Street. In 1800, it moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., where it briefly occupied the Treasury Building and then the Seven Buildings at 19th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Programs
The US Department of State has in the recent years rolled out Professional Exchange Fellows who have risen to professional ranks in their lives and are chosen by the US Embassies worldwide to be a professional fellows of the State Department spending time in the United States and interacting with their American colleagues, leadership and counterparts.
Military components
In 1978, the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) formed an office to use excess military and government aircraft to support counter-narcotics operations of foreign states. The first aircraft used was a crop duster used to eradicate illicit crops in Mexico in cooperation with local authorities. The separate Air Wing was established in 1986 as use of aviation …
Expenditures
In FY 2010 the Department of State, together with "Other International Programs" (such as USAID), had a combined projected discretionary budget of $51.7 billion. The United States Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2010, entitled 'A New Era of Responsibility', specifically 'Imposes Transparency on the Budget' for the Department of State.
The end-of-year FY 2010 DoS Agency Financial Report, approved by Secretary Clinton on Novemb…