USS Constitution, the last of the original six frigates of the United States Navy still in commission
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Class overview | |
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Operators | United States Navy |
Built | 1794–1800 |
In service | 1794–1881 |
In commission | 1797–present |
Planned | 6 |
Completed | 6 |
Active | 1 |
Lost | 2 |
Retired | 3 |
General characteristics (Constitution, President, United States) | |
Class and type | 44-gun frigate[2] |
Tonnage | 1,576[1] |
Displacement | 2,200 tons[1] |
Length |
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Beam | 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)[2] |
Draft |
|
Depth of hold | 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m)[3] |
Complement | 450 officers and enlisted, including 55 Marines and 30 boys[2] |
General characteristics (Congress and Constellation) | |
Class and type | 38-gun frigate[4] |
Tonnage | 1,265 tons[4] |
Length | 164 ft (50 m) between perpendiculars[4] |
Beam | 41.0 ft (12.5 m)[4] |
Complement | 340 officers and enlisted[4] |
General characteristics (Chesapeake) | |
Class and type | 38-gun frigate[5] |
Tonnage | 1,244[5] |
Length | 152.8 ft (46.6 m) between perpendiculars[5] |
Beam | 41.3 ft (12.6 m)[5] |
Draft | 20 ft (6.1 m)[5] |
Depth of hold | 13.9 ft (4.2 m)[6] |
Complement | 340 officers and enlisted[5] |
The United States Congress authorized the original six frigates of the United States Navy with the Naval Act of 1794 on March 27, 1794, at a total cost of $688,888.82 (equivalent to $19,833,259.52 in 2024). These ships were built during the formative years of the United States Navy, on the recommendation of designer Joshua Humphreys for a fleet of frigates powerful enough to engage any frigates of the French or British navies, yet fast enough to evade any ship of the line.
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