==Construction==
The USS Constitution was one of six frigates whose construction was authorized by [[George Washington]] in 1794 to protect the growing American merchant fleet both from the "Barbary Pirate" states of [[Morocco]], [[Tunis]], and [[Tripoli]] and the still-powerful British [[Royal Navy]]. these These six ships were each built in different cities; the contract to build the USS Constitution was given to Edumund Hartt's shipyard in [[Boston]].
It took three years to finish building the USS Constitution. Though her initial apportion was $115,000, her final cost was more than $300,000. It took some 2,000 trees to build her, including specialty woods cut from [[Maine]] and [[Georgia]]; her cannons were cast in [[Rhode Island]] and were fitted with copper fastenings from the prominent and prosperous craftsman, [[Paul Revere]]. She was finished on 10 October 1797, but it took a few attempts to launch her before she was commissioned, on 21 October 1797.
==references==
http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/