USS Indiana, first modern US battleship, launched at Philadelphia

Background. USS Indiana was the lead ship of her class and the first battleship in the United States Navy comparable to foreign battleships of the time. Authorized in 1890, she was a small battleship with heavy armor and ordnance. The design was described as attempting too much on a very limited displacement, yet these ships were the first modern battleships for the American fleet.

Launch Event. The war steamer Indiana was launched in Philadelphia on 28 February 1893, with a contemporary notice reporting she was to be launched from the Cramp yards that day. The event was attended by around 10,000 people, including President Benjamin Harrison, several members of his cabinet, and the two senators from Indiana. Her keel had been laid down on 7 May 1891.

Political Context. The United States Congress initially saw plans for such ships as an attempt to end isolationism and did not approve them. However, a year later, the House of Representatives approved funding for three coast defense battleships, which became Indiana and her sister ships Massachusetts and Oregon.