| 1794 March 27 |
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U.S. Congress authorizes construction of six frigates |
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| 1794–1797 |
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Under construction at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard, Boston |
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| 1797 October 21 |
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Launch of USS Constitution |
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| 1798 July 22 |
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First Sail |
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| 1798–1801 |
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Quasi-War with France; Squadron Flagship, 1799–1801 |
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| 1801–1803 |
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In ordinary and repair, Boston
(In ordinary indicated a ship laid up in a dry dock or harbor. When ships were placed in ordinary their masts, rigging, sails, and guns were taken out and stored ashore. The term also referred to the men who remained aboard while the ship was laid up, usually warrant officers and their servants.) |
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| 1803–1805 |
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Barbary War, Flagship Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 1805–1807 |
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Flagship, Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 1807–1809 |
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Repair in New York |
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| 1809–1810 |
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Flagship, Northern Squadron |
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| 1810–1811 |
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Northern Squadron |
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| 1811–1812 |
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Special Service Cruise to Europe |
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| 1812–1815 |
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| War of 1812: |
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| 1812 August 19 |
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Defeated HMS Guerriere |
| 1812 December 29 |
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Defeated HMS Java |
| 815 February 20 |
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Defeated HMS Cyane & HMS Levant |
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| 1816–1821 |
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In ordinary and repair, Boston |
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| 1821–1824 |
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Flagship, Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 18241828 |
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Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 1828–1831 |
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In ordinary, Boston |
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| 1832–1835 |
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Restoration, Boston |
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| 1835 |
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Special Service Cruise to Europe |
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| 1835–1838 |
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Flagship, Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 1839–1841 |
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Flagship, Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 1842–1843 |
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Flagship, Home Squadron |
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| 1844–1846 |
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Around the World Cruise |
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| 1846–1848 |
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In ordinary and repair, Boston |
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| 1848–1851 |
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Mediterranean Squadron |
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| 1851–1853 |
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In ordinary and repair, New York |
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| 1853–1855 |
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Flagship, African Squadron |
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| 1855–1857 |
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In ordinary, Portsmouth, NH |
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| 1857–1860 |
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Restoration, converted to school ship, Portsmouth, NH |
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| 1860–1871 |
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School ship, U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD & Newport, RI
(USS Constitution returned to Annapolis with the Naval Academy Civil War ended) |
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| 1871–1872 |
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In ordinary, Philadelphia, PA |
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| 1872–1877 |
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Restoration, Philadelphia, PA |
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| 1877 |
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Training ship, Philadelphia, PA |
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| 1878–1879 |
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Transports U.S. exhibits to Paris Exposition |
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| 1879–1881 |
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Apprentice Training Squadron |
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| 1881–1882 |
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In ordinary, New York |
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| 1882–1897 |
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Receiving ship, Portsmouth, NH |
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| 1897 |
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Return to Boston for 100th birthday |
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| 1897–1906 |
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On exhibition, Boston |
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| 1906–1907 |
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Restoration |
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| 1907–1926 |
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On exhibition |
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| 1927–1931 |
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Restoration |
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| 1931–1934 |
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National Cruise (three-coast tour), return to Boston |
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| 1934–1972 |
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| On exhibition: |
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| 1940 August 24 |
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Named symbolic flagship of U.S. fleet |
| 1947 |
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150th birthday |
| 1949–1954 |
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Repair |
| 1954 July 3 |
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Boston designated as homeport by Congressional Act, Public Law 523 |
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| 1973–1976 |
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Restoration |
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| 1976–1992 |
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| On exhibition: |
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| 1976 April 8 |
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USS Constitution Museum opens in Building #22 |
| 1976 July |
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Leads Tall Ships parade, Queen Elizabeth II visits |
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| 1992–1996 |
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Restoration |
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| 1997 |
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| July 21 |
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Sailed under own power in 116 years |
| October 21 |
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USS Constitution's bicentennial |
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1998
July 23–26 |
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USS Constitution Bicentennial Salute
(International ships salute USS Constitution's extraordinary career.) |
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| For Further Reading |
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| Desy, Margherita. "Constitution: Where was she at 100?" Nautical Research Journal 42, no. 3 (September 1997): 145–153. |
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| Gilkerson, William. "Wind-borne Once More: USS Constitution Sails Again." WoodenBoat 139 (December 1997): 48–59. |
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| Marden, Luis. "Restoring Old Ironsides." National Geographic 191, no. 6 (June 1997): 38-–53. |
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| Martin, Tyrone G. Creating a Legend. Chapel Hill, N.C.: Tyron Publishing Co., 1997. |
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| _____. A Most Fortunate Ship. Annapolis, Maryland: The Naval Institute Press, 1997. |
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| _____. Undefeated: Old Ironsides in the War of 1812. Chapel Hill, N.C.: Tyron Publishing Co., 1997. |
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| Morrison, Christopher H. "Technical Aspects of Preparing 'Old Ironsides' to Sail Again." Nautical Research Journal 42, no. 3 (September 1997): 154–61. |
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| Rand, Anne Grimes. "'Old Ironsides' in War in Peace." The New England Journal of History. 53, no. 1 (Spring 1996): 14–31. |
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