U.S. Presidents and Foreign Relations

In our increasingly interconnected world, diplomatic relations have taken on new significance. Effective and friendly communication between nations and international organizations is essential to economic, social and cultural prosperity on a global scale. Since the Olive Branch Petition between the United States and Great Britain in 1775, the U.S. federal government has been actively engaged in foreign affairs with most of the world's nations. In fact, the U.S. Department of State formally describes our goal in foreign policy to be “to create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community.”