How important was the role of Secretary of State in the US before the 20th century? America was so much more isolationist back then.
>>17274697There weren't too many qualifications expected for cabinet positions in those days; it was generally believed any country lawyer could handle any government job. So you had SoS who had never been outside the US, Navy Secretaries whose experience with watercraft was limited to a ferry ride on a steamboat on the Mississippi once or twice, etc.
>>17274739>Navy Secretaries whose experience with watercraft was limited to a ferry ride on a steamboat on the Mississippi once or twiceholy kek are you serious?
>>17274697I don't know about any others, but I know Seward was important. Otherwise we wouldn't have Alaska, the best state in the Union. <3
>>17274739Often yes; Gideon Welles was the son of a prominent New England shipping merchant so he knew a bit more about the sea.
>>17274697They were still important for the sake of trade negotiations and patronage. Trade was seen as a massively important issue to the country in the nineteenth century, which is why there were diplomatic missions to places like Siam Japan and Korea. Also the Open Door Policy re:ChinaState controlled a lot of cushy jobs, the pinnacle being foreign ambassadorships. Just like today these were always reserved for prominent supporters. Lower-level jobs for party loyalists too. Charles Guitteau shot Garfield because he wanted a government job but was denied.
>>17274697Being a presidential cabinet member was a meme job. You just sat on your ass and did nothing, but it gave you a lot of prestige too. A lot of bitches would come flocking to you. It was like being a rock star, but even easier because you didn't have to even know how to sing or play guitar or something. You just had to sit there.
Top government posts like SoS paid well and allowed one to have a comfy lifestyle but in the 19th century Federal posts in general were prestigious even when the pay was small. Nowadays government workers are the subject of mockery but back then it meant you were somebody even if it was just the town postmaster.
