United States Department of State

The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. It is administered by the United States Secretary of State.

History

The U.S. Constitution, drafted in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 and ratified by the states the following year, gave the President responsibility for the conduct of the nation's foreign relations. It soon became clear, however, that an executive branch was necessary to support the President in the conduct of the affairs of the new Federal Government.

Related Topics:
U.S. Constitution - Philadelphia - 1787 - President

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The House of Representatives 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. This legislation remains the basic law of the Department of State. In September 1789, additional legislation changed the name of the agency to the Department of State and assigned to it a variety of domestic duties.

Related Topics:
House of Representatives - Senate - July 21 - 1789 - July 27

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These responsibilities grew to include management of the United States Mint, keeper of the Great Seal of the United States, and the taking of the census. President George Washington signed the new legislation on September 15. Most of these domestic duties of the Department of State were eventually turned over to various new Federal departments and agencies that were established during the 19th century.

Related Topics:
United States Mint - Great Seal of the United States - Census - George Washington - September 15 - 19th century

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On September 29, 1789, President Washington appointed Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, then Minister to France, to be the first United States Secretary of State.

Related Topics:
September 29 - 1789 - Thomas Jefferson - Virginia - France - United States Secretary of State

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The State Department became the center of controversy during McCarthyism in the mid-20th century, as a number of government officials were interrogated and sometimes blacklisted for alleged spy activity for the Soviet Union. Recent declassified Soviet documents have confirmed the existence of some spies within the department, though the anti-communist "witch hunt" also caused many innocent individuals to suffer the loss of their careers and reputations.

Related Topics:
McCarthyism - 20th century - Blacklist - Soviet Union - Anti-communist

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On September 11, 2001, as terrorists struck at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, there were also early reports that terrorists also struck at the State Department, detonating a car bomb within the vicinity. However, the reports turned out to be false.

Related Topics:
September 11 - 2001 - Terrorists struck at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon

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