2.The Department of State.The government of the United States often has to send messages to the government of France or Great Britain or Germany or some other country，and quite as often receives messages from some foreign government.In this way business is going on continually among the governments of all the nations.The department of our government which does this branch of the public business is the department of state ，and its head is the secretary of state .This secretary has a number of assistants at Washington.But，besides these，there are agents in foreign countries.In each foreign capital is a gentleman who is known as minister ，or ambassado r，of the United States.He discusses the business of the United States with the government of the country in which he lives，keeps up a regular correspondence with the secretary of state at Washington，giving information and receiving instructions.At public ceremonies theNATIONAL OFFICES BUILDING AT WASHINGTONSTATE，WAR，AND NAVY DEPARTMENTSThis vast but not very beautiful building contains the offices of the secretaries above named and of their numerous assistants.It is fireproof，as its archives are of priceless value.Here may be seen the original Declaration of Independence，the original Constitution of the United States，the sword of Washington，a silver set presented to Captain Isaac Hull by citizens of Philadelphia in 1812in honor of his capture of the Guerriere，and many other deeply interesting relics.
ministers of the various nations are always invited and treated with great respect.The ministers of European nations on such occasions are accustomed to wear an elaborate uniform，brilliant in colors and glittering with gold.The American ministers，however，usually dress in plain black，as becomes representatives of a republic.
3.In nearly every important foreign city lives another agent of the state department，called a consul .He looks out for the business interests of American merchants and sailors.If you should be traveling in Europe or South America and should be in difficulty，the American consul would be the one to whom to apply for assistance.He would not let one of his countrymen be treated badly.
4.Foreign nations，in like manner，have at Washington ambassadors or ministers，who carry on their business with our government throughthe secretary of state.Foreign consuls，too，are found in all our principal cities.
5.The War Department.Every nation in the world has an army.The number of soldiers in different countries varies，to be sure.France and Germany have each a half million men always under arms，while the United States has only about 25，000.
6.Why is it necessary to keep soldiers？Merely because nations cannot always settle their disputes peaceably.If two men cannot agree on a question of business，they can have the matter decided by a court of law.And whatever the court may decide must be obeyed.If the two disputants should try to settle their quarrel by a fight，they would be very apt to find themselves in jail.But nations unfortunately have no such means of keeping order and of determining justice.So each nation has to protect itself.And the army is the means of national defense.
7.Besides this，there are sometimes riots and insurrections which the police are not able to put down.Then the soldiers must give their help.
8.So an army is necessary for the protection of a nation against attack from abroad，and also to keep orderin other words，to see to it that the laws are obeyed at home.
9.The army of the United States is small，partly because we have little fear of being attacked and partly because each state also keeps soldiers.The state soldiers are usually called the “national guard.”We shall speak about them later.
10.Our republic has had several wars，in which the army was very necessary.As you will remember，it was by the war of the revolution that we won our independence from England，and so became a free republic.In that wara war which lasted eight yearsBritish armies invaded our country，but after many bloody battles they were finally driven away.General George Washington commanded the American soldiers throughout this war，and he was aided by French soldiers who came across the ocean to help us.
11.In 1812we had a second war with England，which lasted two years.
12.In 1846we most unfortunately were drawn into a war with our sister republic，Mexico.This also lasted two years.The Americanarmies invaded Mexico，won many battles，and thus compelled the Mexicans，in making peace，to give up a large territory to the United States.
13.In 1861，saddest of all，we had a war among ourselvesa civil war.Several of the southern states，as we have seen，being dissatisfied with the Union，attempted to withdraw from it and to form a new republic，which they called the Confederate States of America.But the rest of the people refused to permit the old Union to be destroyed.Large armies were formed on both sides，and many desperate battles were fought.At length，after four years of war，the Union armies were victorious.
14.The management of an army，even in time of peace，takes much time and work.The president of the United States is by the Constitution the chief commander of the army.But the details of its management are left to one of the cabinet，the secretary of war.He is the head of the war department ，which includes a number of assistants and clerks.
15.The war department conducts a militar y school at West Point，on the Hudson River.Each member of the national house of representatives has the privilege of naming one boy as a candidate for admission to the military academy，and a few are named by the①president.