Home
Historical Documents
Department History
Key Milestones
- The Founding Era
- Diplomacy and Revolution
- The Early Republic
- Securing the Republic
- The Antebellum Period
- The Civil War
- The Age of Imperialism
- Into the Twentieth Century
- The First World War
- The Interwar Period
- World War II
- The Cold War
- Bi-Polar Foreign Policy
- Entangling Alliances
- Détente
- Quest for Peace
- Cold War Denouement
- Toward the Twenty-First Century
Guide to Countries
More Resources
- Documents on the History of U.S. Foreign Relations
- About the Office of the Historian
- Department History
- Diplomatic Relations
- The Secretaries of State
- Ambassadors and Chiefs of Mission
- The Foreign Service
- Women in the Foreign Service
- African Americans in the Foreign Service
- Diplomatic and Consular Posts, 1781-2010
- Department Personnel, 1781-1997
Frequently Asked Questions
The Foreign Service
What was the origin of the Foreign Service?
Article II, section 2 of the Constitution authorized the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, “Ambassadors, other public Ministers, and Consuls.” From 1789 until 1924, the Diplomatic Service, which staffed U.S. Legations and Embassies, and the Consular Service, which was primarily responsible for promoting American commerce and assisting distressed American sailors, developed separately.
When was the Consular Service established?
The first Act of Congress providing for U.S. consuls abroad was passed on April 14, 1792. Except for the consuls appointed to the Barbary States of North Africa (who enjoyed quasi-diplomatic status when Muslim countries did not maintain permanent missions abroad), U.S. consuls received no salary and were expected to earn their livings from private trade or from fees charged for official services. It was not uncommon for consuls to have been merchants with business connections in the cities to which they had been appointed. They did not have to be U.S. citizens.
When did U.S. consuls first receive a salary?
An Act of Congress of August 18, 1856 established two schedules of consular posts. Consuls appointed to Schedule B posts were paid between $1,000 and $7,500 per year. They could still collect fees, but could no longer engage in trade. Schedule C appointees received between $500 and $1,000 per year and could engage in trade. Non-citizens might be appointed to consular posts, but could not be paid.
Who were the first professional consular appointees?
The Act of August 18, 1856 provided for the appointment of up to 25 “consular pupils,” who would take an examination before their appointment and be assigned to consulates at the discretion of the President. This provision was repealed during the next session of Congress. On June 20, 1864, Congress authorized 13 consular clerks. Between 1864 and 1896, 64 consular clerks were appointed. Only 8 were promoted to consul; most preferred a small ($1,000) salary and security to a larger one of uncertain duration.
What was the forerunner of the Foreign Service Examination?
President Grover Cleveland issued an Executive Order on September 20, 1895 that required appointees to consular positions with salaries between $1,000 and $2,500 to be either a qualified officer of the Department, or to pass a written examination on consular regulations and an oral examination that included demonstrating proficiency in a foreign language. Executive orders issued by President Theodore Roosevelt on November 10, 1905 and June 27, 1906 instituted examinations for the lower grades of the Consular Service and for secretaries in the Diplomatic Service.
When was the present-day Foreign Service established?
The Rogers Act (named for Representative John Jacob Rogers of Massachusetts) of May 24, 1924 amalgamated the Diplomatic and Consular Services into a unified Foreign Service.