The Greek War of Independence began in 1821 and concluded in 1830 when England, France, and Russia forced the Ottoman Empire to grant Greece its independence under a European monarch, Prince Otto of Bavaria.

The United States supported the emergence of modern Greece from the earliest days, establishing diplomatic relations with the country on 1868. Charles K. Tuckerman (1827-1896), the first Ambassador from the United States, was an American diplomat and writer. He served as the minister resident of Greece, which was at the time, a new job created by President Andrew Johnson. He was born in the United States, but spent most of his working life working in Hong Kong and Greece.

Today, in addition to the Embassy in Athens, the United States maintains a Consulate General in Thessaloniki. Tens of thousands of private U.S. citizens now reside in Greece, while an estimated three million Americans residing in the United States claim Greek descent.

For more information, see the State Department’s page on U.S. Relations with Greece.