During the War of 1812, to the surprise of both the Americans and the British, she defeated four English warships, earning each of her three captainsĪ congressional gold medal. Also, territorial disputes over the Canadian border and America’s western frontier strongly contributed to the onset of the war.Īs many Americans rallied around the slogan “Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights,” President James Madison declared war on England on June 18, 1812.Īt the outset of the War of 1812, USS CONSTITUTION had already won all of her engagements in two wars: the Quasi War with France (1798-1801) and the Barbary Wars (1801-1805). The British imposed embargoes and trade restrictions on America’s merchant fleet to limit trade with France, and, desperate for sailors to man her 600-ship fleet, impressed (kidnapped) more than 5,000 American sailors suspected of being former English subjects and forced them to serve aboard her ships. 21, 1797.įollowing the American Revolution (1775-1783), the United States was a neutral and successful maritime trading party with England and France, countries that had been at war with each other since 1793. The 44-gun USS CONSTITUTION, built in Boston, was launched on Oct. Signed into law on Maby President George Washington, the Naval Armament Act called for the construction of six frigates, to be built at shipyards along the eastern seaboard. Following the American Revolution, the United States' Continental Navy was disbanded, leaving the new nation without a credible seapower to defend its interests abroad. USS CONSTITUTION was developed and built in response to the threat of Barbary corsairs, which threatened American merchant shipping off northern coast of Africa.
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