What government organization did Abraham Lincoln create hours before his death?
Secret Service
Department of Justice
Internal Revenue Service
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Fact: Just hours before he was assassinated on April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln approved the creation of the United States Secret Service. However, its original purpose was not presidential protection—it was established as a branch of the Treasury Department to combat the widespread counterfeiting of U.S. currency. Ironically, the Secret Service would not begin protecting presidents until after the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. Today, it performs both financial crime investigations and protection duties, but its origins lie in safeguarding the nation’s money, not its leaders.
Correct Answer: Secret Service