On November 26, 1784, the Vatican created the Apostolic Prefecture of the United States, the first Roman Catholic jurisdiction organized specifically for the new nation. Prior to independence, Catholic communities had been overseen from European dioceses tied to colonial powers. The new prefecture recognized the United States as a distinct setting for church organization. It laid groundwork for later dioceses and the eventual Archdiocese of Baltimore. The change helped coordinate clergy assignments, parish life, and missionary work as Catholic populations grew. It also signaled that the Holy See acknowledged the political reality of American independence.
