– July 4, 2024.
Frigate Constitution—designed by Joshua Humphreys and built at Hartt’s Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts—was launched on 21 October 1797 and christened by Captain James Sever. The ship was one of six frigates authorized by Congress with passage of the Naval Act of 1794. Constitution was constructed with timbers from Maine to Georgia, as well as copper bolts and spikes supplied by Paul Revere. It was put to sea on 23 July 1798 with Captain Samuel Nicholson as its first commander. Following patrols along the U.S. east coast, Constitution became the flagship of the Santo Domingo Station where it captured multiple ships including 24-gun Niger, Spencer, and letter-of-marque Sandwich during the Quasi-War with France. At the war’s end, it was placed in ordinary at the Charleston Navy Yard.