The United States Secret Service was founded in response to a significant economic issue that arose during and after the Civil War: the rampant counterfeiting of U.S. currency. With the economy recovering from the tumultuous war, counterfeiting had surged, with estimates suggesting that as much as one-third of all currency in circulation was counterfeit. This posed a serious threat to the financial stability of the nation and undermined public trust in the banking system. Recognizing the urgent need for enforcement, Congress established the Secret Service on July 5, 1865, as a part of the Department of the Treasury. The agency's primary mandate was to investigate and prevent the counterfeiting of U.S. currency.Initially, the Secret Service did not have the responsibility of protecting the President, a role that would come later, particularly after the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. The agency quickly began its operations, deploying agents across the nation to track down and apprehend counterfeiters. Through extensive investigations and a network of informants, the Secret Service successfully disrupted several major counterfeiting rings and brought many criminals to justice, thereby restoring integrity to the nation’s finances. The establishment of the Secret Service marked a pivotal moment in the U.S. government's approach to economic crime, laying the groundwork for modern financial law enforcement.