How was the United States Department of Justice created?

The United States Department of Justice was established by Congress in 1870 during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. However, its core functions date back to 1789 when the office of the Attorney General was originally created. Today, the department oversees federal law enforcement agencies and represents the federal government in court from its headquarters in Washington, D.C.

What we know

• The United States Congress created the Justice Department in 1870, during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. [2]
• The functions of the Department of Justice originally date to 1789, when Congress created the office of the Attorney General. [2]
• The department is headquartered in Washington, D.C. at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, which was completed in 1935. [2, 3]
• The Justice Department contains most of the United States' federal law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWhat does the United States Attorney General do?
• a case in pointHow does the Federal Bureau of Investigation operate within the DOJ?
• whereWhere is the main Justice Department building located?
• what caused itWhat role did the Ethics in Government Act play in special counsel appointments?
• compared withHow does the United States Department of the Treasury compare in its 1789 origins?
• an unexpected connectionHow is the Justice Department headquarters tied to Robert F. Kennedy?The main headquarters building of the DOJ was completed in 1935 but was later renamed in 2001 after Robert F. Kennedy, who served as the 64th U.S. attorney general.

Sources

• [1]United States Department of Justice (Wikidata Q1553390) · CC0 1.0
• [2]United States Department of Justice · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]United States Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]United States Department of the Treasury · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. When and how was Khorasan province divided?
2. /What is the history of the Irish Rugby Football Union?
3. /How was The Fox and the Hound made by Disney?
4. /What films were screened at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival?
5. /How did the Phoenician alphabet influence the Greek alphabet?
6. /How did democracy develop in ancient Greece?
7. /Which districts of Hertfordshire border Greater London?
8. /How was the United States Department of Justice created?