Executive Power Through History in the United States
Introduction to Executive Power Through History
In 1789 the first Congress created three departments: the Department of State (foreign affairs), the Department of the Treasury (financial affairs and currency), and the Department of War (military affairs). In addition, the attorney general of the United States handled legal business. The departments were small in size and had limited duties.
Westward expansion of the country’s growing population in the 19th century led to several new departments, notably agriculture and the interior. These departments distributed grants for such things as building railroads and settling western lands. They also supervised the building of such public works as roads and canals. Also during the 19th century, the Treasury Department protected local industries by collecting tariffs on goods imported from foreign nations.
As the country industrialized during the late 19th century, the public pressured Congress to enact laws to protect workers and consumers. Congress created many new agencies, primarily to regulate private business. Congress produced the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887 to regulate railroads, and the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 to regulate trusts-huge businesses that dominated specific markets.
Popular pressure for increased regulation of businesses increased in the early 20th century. This pressure led to laws such as the Pure Food and Drug Acts, and the 1906 Meat Inspection Act. Pressure for reform also led to creation of the Federal Trade Commission in 1914 to prevent unfair business practices. Worldwide depression in the 1930s brought new demands that government take a more activist role in regulating businesses, protecting workers, and ensuring national economic stability. As part of the reform agenda of President Franklin Roosevelt, known as the New Deal, government departments grew quickly, and Congress and the executive branch created many new independent regulatory agencies.
A number of new agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency, were created in the 1960s and 1970s. These agencies were established to enforce laws and implement regulations in areas such as air and water pollution, vehicle safety, workplace safety, prescription drugs, and bank lending practices. Few of the new regulations have been repealed, but recently critics have argued that the government should cut back on such regulations and eliminate the agencies that carry them out.” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about Executive Power Through History in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia
Guide to Executive Power Through History
About U.S. Federal Departments
Federal Departments, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense (including Department of Defense Purpose, Department of Defense Organization, Department of Defense Liaison of Command and Department of Defense Supporting Agencies), Department of Education, Department of Energy
(including Department of Energy Purpose, Department of Energy Organization and Department of Energy Research and Development), Department of Health and Human Services (including Department of Health and Human Services History and Department of Health and Human Services Agencies and Services), Department of Homeland Security (including Department of Homeland Security Organization and Functions, Department of Homeland Security Origins and Department of Homeland Security Supporting Agencies), Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice (including Department of Justice Functions, Department of Justice Structure and Department of Justice Associated Agencies), Department of Labor, Department of National Defence, Department of State (including Department of State Administration and Department of State Bureaus), Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, Department of the Interior (including Department of the Interior Functions and Department of the Interior Principal Agencies), Department of the Navy, Department of the Treasury, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs (including the Department of Veterans Affairs Service Categories, Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Available and GI Bill of Rights) and Department of War.