Which US president founded the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1862?

• A. Franklin D. Roosevelt
• B. George Washington
• C. President Abraham Lincoln
• D. Thomas Jefferson

Answer: (C)

Establishing a federal agency to strengthen farming shows how the government began organizing scientific knowledge for practical use in the nation. The Department of Agriculture was created in 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation establishing it to gather and share agricultural knowledge, conduct research, and assist farmers nationwide. This move reflected the belief that farming needed coordinated federal support and scientific input, especially during the Civil War era when national needs were vast. The other figures listed were from earlier or later periods and did not authorize the department’s creation in 1862.