United States Secretary of State

The United States secretary of state is a key leader in the executive branch of the federal government of the United States. This person heads the U.S. Department of State and works like a minister of foreign affairs in other countries. The secretary of state helps the president make decisions about relationships with other nations.

This important job was created in 1789, and Thomas Jefferson was the first to hold it. The president chooses who will be secretary of state, and the Senate must agree before the person can start working. The secretary of state is one of the top leaders in the president’s cabinet, after the vice president.

The secretary of state is paid a special salary set by law. This job is very important because it deals with how the United States works with other countries around the world.

History

The job of secretary of state began when the early United States government was created. In 1781, leaders made a department to manage foreign affairs and picked someone to lead it. Later, after the U.S. Constitution was approved, they renamed it the Department of State and kept the job of secretary of state to guide this work.

Duties and responsibilities

The secretary of state helps manage the United States' relationships with other countries. They work with the president to create policies about other nations. This includes choosing diplomats, making treaties, and representing the United States at meetings with other countries. The secretary of state also helps protect American citizens who are traveling or living in other countries, like giving out passports.

Secretaries of state have some duties at home too. They help keep important government seals and handle official papers. They also help bring people back to the United States when they are wanted by the law. The secretary of state is one of the highest officials in the government, ranking just below the president and vice president. Some past secretaries of state have later become presidents of the United States.

Timeline of secretaries of state

See also: List of United States secretaries of state

The following timeline shows the order of the people who have been secretaries of state and which political groups they belonged to when they started their jobs.