The United States Secret Service is founded

Background. Following the American Civil War, counterfeiting of United States currency became rampant. The Secret Service was initially tasked with investigating these crimes. It was commissioned in Washington, D.C., as the "Secret Service Division" of the Department of the Treasury. This specific mission of suppressing counterfeiting defined the agency's early operational scope and its administrative placement within the federal government.

Establishment. The agency was formally established on July 5, 1865, in Washington, D.C. Although a Clinton White House archive notes that Abraham Lincoln signed approval for the service on the day he was shot, the official establishment date is recorded as July 5, 1865. The organization was created to address the financial crimes prevalent in the post-war era.

Early Mandate. The primary responsibility of the newly formed division was to investigate the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. This focus on financial integrity distinguished it from other law enforcement agencies of the time. The agency later evolved into the United States' first domestic intelligence and counterintelligence agency, but its founding purpose remained centered on currency protection.