On January 17, 1946, the United Nations Security Council held it first session in London, England. The Security Council was represented by 51 different nations, including the United States, and met to establish its orders of procedure.

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that was formed after WWII and the end of the League of Nations. The League of Nations originated through the idea of President Woodrow Wilson in 1918 in an effort to promote world peace. However, ironically the United States Congress never ratified Wilson’s idea, and so the United States never joined the League of Nations.

Today, the United Nations acts as the world’s largest international peacekeeping body through the cooperation of international law and security. Its annual budget is around $4 to $5 billion US dollars. The current headquarters of the United Nations is located in New York City and there are 192 nations that are members.

The Security Council is just 1 of 5 main bodies that makes up the United Nations. There are 15 members on the Security Council with 5 permanent members including, the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France. The 5 permanent members hold the power to veto resolutions, while non-permanent members do not hold this power. There are 10 elected non-permanent members which hold two-year terms. Further, Security Council members must always be available at the UN headquarters in New York City in case of any emergencies that must be passed.

The other 4 main bodies that make up the United Nations are the: General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, and Secretariat. The United Nations, however, is comprised of many other agencies and programs.