USS Constitution Chronology
Compiled by USS Constitution Museum
March 27, 1794
The Naval Armament act authorizes the construction of six frigates (four 44 guns, two 36 guns)
1794–1797
USS Constitution under construction at Edmund Hartt’s Shipyard, Boston
May 10, 1797, USS United States, 44, launched in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 7, 1797, USS Constellation, 36, launched in Baltimore, Maryland
October 21, 1797 USS Constitution, 44, launched in Boston, Massachusetts
August 15, 1799, USS Congress, 36, launched in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
December 2, 1799, USS Chesapeake, 44, launched in Gosport (now Norfolk), Virginia
- April 10, 1800, USS President, 44, launched in New York, New York
July 22, 1798
Sails from Boston to Caribbean on first cruise
1798–1801
Quasi-War with France; West India Squadron flagship, 1799–1801
1801–1803
In ordinary and repair, Boston(To say that a ship was “in ordinary” meant that it was temporarily out of commission in a dry dock or harbor. When ships were placed in ordinary, crews removed their masts, rigging, sails, and guns stored them ashore. Today, a ship in a similar state is said to be “mothballed.”)
1803–1805
Barbary War, Mediterranean Squadron flagship
1805–1807
Mediterranean Squadron flagship
1807–1809
Repair in New York
1809–1810
Flagship of the “northern division of ships for the protection of the American coast.”
June 1810–1811
Northern Squadron, Captain Isaac Hull in command
August 1811–February 1812
Voyage to France, England, and Holland
1812–1815
War of 1812
August 19, 1812
Defeats HMS Guerriere
December 29, 1812
Defeats HMS Java
February 20, 1815
Defeats HMS Cyane and HMS Levant
1816–1821
In ordinary and repair, Boston
1821–1824
Mediterranean Squadron flagship
1824–1828
Mediterranean Squadron
1828–1831
In ordinary, Boston
1830
Harvard professor and physician Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. writes “Old Ironsides” poem
1833–1834
First ever dry docking of Constitution, Charlestown navy Yard (June 24, 1833 docked). Extensive hull and structural replacement work, including copper sheathing work.
March–June 1835
Voyage to France with Minister to France Edward Livingston
August 1835–July1838
Mediterranean Squadron flagship
April 1839–November 1841
Pacific Squadron flagship
November 1842–February 1843
Home Squadron flagship
May 1844–September 1846
Around the World Cruise—sailed 52,370.5 miles
1846–1848
In ordinary and repair, Boston
October 1848–1851
Mediterranean Squadron
August 1, 1849
Pope Pius IX visits ship at Gaeta, Italy
1851–1853
In ordinary and repair, New York
March 1853–June 1855
African Squadron flagship
- November 3, 1853
Captures slaver H.N. Gambril, Constitution’s last prize
June 1855–July 1857
In ordinary, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
July 1857–August 1860
Refit and converted to school ship, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
August 1860–September 1871
School ship, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and Newport, RI (USS Constitution returned to Annapolis with the Naval Academy when the Civil War ended)
1871–1872
In ordinary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1873–January 1877
Refit, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1877
Training ship, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1878
Transports U.S. exhibits to Paris Exposition
1879–1881
Apprentice Training Squadron
1881–1882
In ordinary, New York
1882–1897
Receiving ship, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
September 1897
Returns to Boston for 100th birthday
1897–1906
On exhibition, Boston
1906–1907
Restoration
1907–1926
On exhibition
1927–1931
Restoration
1931–1934
National Cruise (three-coast tour, 76 ports, over 4.6 million visitors), returns to Boston
1934–1972
On exhibition in Boston
August 24, 1940
Named symbolic flagship of U.S. fleet
1947
150th birthday
1949–1954
Repair
July 3, 1954
Boston designated as homeport by Congressional Act, Public Law 523
1973–1976
Restoration
1976–1992
On exhibition in Boston
April 8, 1976
USS Constitution Museum opens in Navy Yard Bldg. 22
- July 1976
Leads Tall Ships parade, Queen Elizabeth II visits for national bicentennial
1992–1996
Restoration
1997
• July 21
Sails for first time in 116 years
• October 21
USS Constitution’s bicentennial
1998
• July 23–26
USS Constitution Bicentennial Salute (International ships salute USS Constitution's extraordinary career.)
2007–2010
Restoration to return ship closer to 1812 appearance
19 August 2012
USS Constitution sails on the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and Constitution’s victory over HMS Guerriere.
2015–2017
Restoration
The USS Constitution Museum is located in the historic Charlestown Navy Yard, across from USS Constitution and on the Freedom Trail. The USS Constitution Museum is a nonprofit, educational institution whose mission is to serve as the memory and educational voice of USS Constitution, by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the stories of “Old Ironsides” and the people associated with her.
