Historedia
AmericasEvent

Launch of USS Constitution

When
1794–1797
Where
United States naval construction under the Naval Act of 1794; Boston Harbor shipyard where Constitution awaited launching; Boston Harbor
Episodes
3

USS Constitution, a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy, was launched in Boston Harbor in 1797. One of six original frigates authorized by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third constructed, she slipped into the harbor on 21 October 1797 after an earlier ceremony attempt.

Episodes

  1. 1794–March 1796 · United States naval construction under the Naval Act of 1794Authorization and Halted Construction

    The Naval Act of 1794 authorized six original frigates, with Constitution the third constructed; a March 1796 peace accord with Algiers halted construction.

  2. 20 September 1797 · Boston Harbor shipyard where Constitution awaited launchingFirst Launching Ceremony Attempt

    A launching ceremony on 20 September 1797 was attended by President John Adams and Massachusetts Governor Increase Sumner, but the launch did not succeed then.

  3. 21 October 1797 · Boston HarborLaunch into Boston Harbor

    After a month of rebuilding the ways, Constitution slipped into Boston Harbor on 21 October 1797, Captain James Sever breaking a bottle of Madeira wine on her bowsprit.

Background and detail

Background. USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, was a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and was the third constructed. Construction had been halted after a peace accord between the United States and Algiers was announced in March 1796, in accordance with the act.

The Launching. Constitution's launching ceremony on 20 September 1797 was attended by President John Adams and Massachusetts Governor Increase Sumner. After a month of rebuilding the ways, the frigate finally slipped into Boston Harbor on 21 October 1797, with Captain James Sever breaking a bottle of Madeira wine on her bowsprit.

People involved

  • John Adams · President of the United States, attended the 20 September 1797 launching ceremony
  • Increase Sumner · Governor of Massachusetts, attended the 20 September 1797 launching ceremony
  • James Sever · Captain who broke a bottle of Madeira wine on the bowsprit at the launch

Sources

  1. USS Constitution Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-13

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.