The USPS is one of the oldest institutions in American history. The Second Continental Congress established a unified postal system on July 26, 1775, appointing Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. This occurred nearly a year before the writing of the Declaration of Independence, demonstrating the founders’ belief that communication and connection were essential to the success of this new country.

At the time, colonial mail services were informal and inefficient; letters were often left at inns or carried irregularly between settlements. Franklin’s appointment saw a transition toward a more organized network of postal routes in the eastern parts of the colonies, which improved delivery speed and reliability. His work laid the foundation for what would become a national system that connected communities and allowed for the flow of information and ideas.

Following the ratification of the US Constitution, postal authority was explicitly granted to the federal government. The Postal Service Act of 1792 established the Post Office Department, placing it under Congress’s control and enacting principles that remain central to the USPS’s mission. Unlike British postal systems, which were expected to turn a profit for the crown, the United States postal system was designed to serve the public, extending service even into scarcely populated frontiers and ensuring that everyone was served regardless of cost. Its mission has changed little over the years and is central to Stephen Grant’s case regarding The Necessity of Civic Institutions; the USPS delivers the mail even when doing so is difficult or unprofitable, whereas private companies often do not.

Throughout the 19th century, the postal system evolved alongside the developing nation. Innovations such as prepaid postage stamps, free city delivery, and Rural Free Delivery (RFD) brought mail directly to individual homes, reducing isolation for rural Americans. Congress also expanded transportation methods, authorizing mail carriage by steamboats and railroads, which accelerated the movement of letters and packages as the nation grew westward.

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 transformed the department into the United States Postal Service. The USPS was mandated to operate more like a business while still providing universal, prompt, reliable service to all Americans and funding itself through postage and service fees rather than direct taxpayer subsidies. In the 21st century, the USPS remains one of the largest and most important civic infrastructures in the country, delivering over 100 billion mail items per year and employing around 500,000 people (“A Decade of Facts & Figures.” USPS). Even with challenges such as declining mail volume and financial pressures, the USPS continues to provide essential services, like delivering ballots, medicines, bills, and personal letters. Its commitment to civil service is based on the idea that every person matters and that every community deserves connection.