Thomas Jefferson was the first US Secretary of State, appointed September 29, 1789. U.S. Diplomatic History > 1784-1800 Thomas Jefferson: First Secretary of State, 1790-1793On September 29, 1789, President Washington appointed Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, then Minister to France, to be the first Secretary of State under the new Constitution. The author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was one of the leading statesmen of his day, the most famous American political philosopher, and had five years experience as American Minister in Paris, the epicenter of Europe's diplomacy. Jefferson returned to the United States and assumed his duties on March 22, 1790. At that time the United States had only two diplomatic posts and ten consular posts. Jefferson drew the distinction between the politically oriented diplomatic service and commercially directed consular service, and he initiated the practice of requiring periodic reports from American diplomats and consuls abroad. During his three years as Secretary of State both services grew only marginally. The Department of State itself was equally small, consisting in 1790 of a chief clerk, three other clerks, and a messenger. The title "clerk" refers to an officer charged with composition of messages to overseas posts and other correspondence. The total domestic and foreign expenditures of Jefferson's Department in 1791 was only $56,600. Although his sympathies belonged to France, Secretary of State Jefferson favored the policy of neutrality in European conflicts. Although he failed to resolve any of the outstanding issues facing American foreign policy - protection of American territorial integrity from Great Britain and Spain, the right to navigate the Mississippi River, or treaties of commerce with Madrid and London - he did lay the groundwork for eventual resolution of these problems.
Thomas Jefferson was the first US Secretary of State, appointed September 29, 1789. He was appointed by George Washington.
Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was the first Secretary of State. See linked question
Thomas Jefferson was the first United States Secretary of State between 1789 and 1793.
Thomas Jefferson held that position from 22 March 1790 until 31 December 1793.
Washington's first Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson and his first Secretary of Treasury was Alexander Hamilton
The first secretary of state was Thomas Jefferson, and he was also the fifth president. The first secretary of treasury was Alexander Hamilton.
Collin Powell
The Secretary of State in the U.S. during 1962 was Dean Rusk. He served from 1961-1963 under Kennedy and 1963-1969 under Lyndon B. Johnson.
Condoleezza Rice was the Secretary of State for George W. Bush. A contribution she made was being the first black woman as Secretary of State.
the first secretary of state was thomas Jefferson
Colin Powell
In January 2012 serving the US President Barack Obama is the former First Lady Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.
The role of the secretary of state in the US?
Colin powell was the first African American to serve the US secretary of State
Are you interested in the email address of the US Secretary of State or the Secretary of State for a particular state?
George Washington appointed Thomas Jefferson as the first Secretary of State of the US (1790-1793).
Madeleine K. Albright appointed in 1997 by President Clinton was the first woman to serve as Secretary of State in the US. \
In the US, the first secretary of state was Thomas Jefferson. He was appointed to that position by President George Washington.
Washington's first Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson and his first Secretary of Treasury was Alexander Hamilton
The first secretary of state was Thomas Jefferson, and he was also the fifth president. The first secretary of treasury was Alexander Hamilton.
The first woman to serve as US Secretary of State was Madeleine Albright. She was appointed by President Clinton to the State Department in December 1996, and, after being unanimously confirmed by the US Senate, she assumed office in January of 1997.