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United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs
 
 
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The United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs was a position that existed in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 government from January 10, 1781 to September 15, 1789.

anuary 10, 1780, the Second Continental Congress
Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
 created the Department of Foreign Affairs
United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs

The United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs was a position that existed in the United States government from January 10, 1781 to September 15, 1789....
.

On August 10, 1781, Congress selected Robert R. Livingston
Robert Livingston (1746-1813)

Robert R Livingston , was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from New York....
, a delegate from New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
, as the first Secretary for Foreign Affairs.






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The United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs was a position that existed in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 government from January 10, 1781 to September 15, 1789.

History


The Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the constitution of the revolutionary wartime alliance of the thirteen United States. The Articles' ratification was completed in 1781, and legally federated several sovereign and independent states, allied under the Articles of Association into a new federation styled the "United States...
 permitted the Continental Congress
Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
 to select "such committees and civil officers as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States." On January 10, 1780, the Second Continental Congress
Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
 created the Department of Foreign Affairs
United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs

The United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs was a position that existed in the United States government from January 10, 1781 to September 15, 1789....
.

On August 10, 1781, Congress selected Robert R. Livingston
Robert Livingston (1746-1813)

Robert R Livingston , was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from New York....
, a delegate from New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
, as the first Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Livingston was unable to take office until October 20, 1781. He served until June 4, 1783 when he was succeeded by John Jay
John Jay

John Jay was an United States politician, statesman, Patriot , diplomat, a Founding Fathers of the United States, President of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1779 and, from 1789 to 1795, the first Chief Justice of the United States....
, who served until March 3, 1789, when the government under the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the constitution of the revolutionary wartime alliance of the thirteen United States. The Articles' ratification was completed in 1781, and legally federated several sovereign and independent states, allied under the Articles of Association into a new federation styled the "United States...
 gave way to the government under the Constitution
United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the State & local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein....
.

The office of Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs were reinstated by a law signed by George Washington
George Washington

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
 on July 27, 1789. However, before the office was filled, on September 15, 1789, Washington signed into law another act which changed the name of the office from "Secretary of Foreign Affairs" to "Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State

The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the President's United States Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in United States presidential line of succession and United States order of precedence....
," changed the name of the department to the Department of State
United States Department of State

The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the United States Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States Federal government of the United States, similar to foreign ministries, foreign offices, ministries of external relations, etc....
, and added several domestic powers and responsibilities to both the office of secretary and the department.

Secretaries for Foreign Affairs

Robert LivingstonOctober 20, 1781–June 4, 1783 John Jay
John Jay

John Jay was an United States politician, statesman, Patriot , diplomat, a Founding Fathers of the United States, President of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1779 and, from 1789 to 1795, the first Chief Justice of the United States....
May 7, 1784–September 15, 1789