Weekly Online Lesson Online Lesson Archive Grade Level: 8-12 Subject: U.S. Government

Secretary of State Powell

In the days following the concession of Vice President Al Gore, President-elect George W. Bush and Vice President-elect Dick Cheney got to work planning their new administration. In the next few months, Bush must fill as many as 6,000 jobs, including as many as 1,200 that require Senate confirmation.

On Saturday, December 16, Bush announced the nomination of retired General Colin Powell as Secretary of State. Powell joined Bush and Cheney in the gymnasium of Crawford High School, a few miles from Bush’s remote ranch in central Texas, for the historic announcement. After reciting Powell’s many military decorations and accomplishments, Bush praised his designated secretary as “a great American hero.”

Powell can hardly be called a new face in public service. He served as the twelfth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense, from October 1, 1989 to September 30, 1993, under both President George Bush (the father of President-elect George W. Bush) and President Bill Clinton. In this capacity, he served as the principal military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council.

This week's online lesson is about the life and accomplishments of Colin Powell, and the duties and responsibilities he will face as the U.S. Secretary of State under the Bush administration.

Colin Powell Biography

Start this week's lesson by reading this brief biography of Colin Powell, Retired General U.S. Army. In the biography you will learn about Powell's education, military service, public service, and his many awards, decorations, and accomplishments. How would you characterize Powell's education? Would you say he had a privileged youth? What was Powell's first Army commission? What has Powell done since his retirement in 1993?

While at this site, read Powell's speech at the Republican National Convention.

The State Department

As Secretary of State, Powell will be serving as Bush's top foreign affairs advisor. This is one of the top National Security positions in the administration. But what specifically are the duties of the Secretary of State? Find out by visiting the U.S. State Department web site. Click Department, and then click duties in the first paragraph. The duties of the Secretary of State are listed there. How have his past positions and experiences prepared him to carry out these duties?

Return to the Department page and under the heading Organization click What We Do. As you watch this web slide show (start with Slide 1) you will learn more about the role of the State Department in handling the foreign affairs of the federal government. How does the State Department help U.S. citizens and the national economy? What are America's security goals?

To learn about America's current Secretary of State, Madeleine Korbel Albright, visit the Secretary of State web site and read Albright's Biography.

The Bush Team

Secretary of State is just one of many positions in the Bush administration yet to be filled. Keep up-to-date on what the key positions are and who will fill them by visiting The Bush Team, and MSNBC Interactive covering Bush's transitional government. Click a position on the left to find out who has been nominated or who the most likely candidates are. Return to this interactive site over the coming weeks to see how the new administration comes together.

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