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The '''U.S.S.  Constellation''' was one of the U.S. Navy's major ships at the start of the [[War of 1812]]. Constellation was rated at 36 guns and was one of six frigates authorized by the Congress in 1794 for national maritime defense. It had a crew of 340, displaced 1,265 tons, and was 164 feet long on the gundeck. The ship was constructed in 1795 near Fells Point, Baltimore and was launched in 1797.

The '''U.S.S.  Constellation''' is the name of three major warships in the history of the U.S. Navy.

 

The first ''Constellation'' was one of the Navy's major ships at the start of the [[War of 1812]]. Constellation was rated at 36 guns and was one of six frigates authorized by the Congress in 1794 for national maritime defense. It had a crew of 340, displaced 1,265 tons, and was 164 feet long on the gundeck. The ship was constructed in 1795 near Fells Point, Baltimore and was launched in 1797.

Under the command of Captain Thomas Truxtun in the [[Quasi-War]] with France in 1798-99, she fought two French frigates a year apart. Her crew captured one and badly damaged the other, which barely avoided capture. During the [[Barbary Wars]], the ship served on the blockade of Tripoli in 1802 and again from 1804-5. After the first Barbary conflict ended, she was laid up in late 1805, inactive, at the Washington Navy Yard, as part of President [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s economy program.

Under the command of Captain Thomas Truxtun in the [[Quasi-War]] with France in 1798-99, she fought two French frigates a year apart. Her crew captured one and badly damaged the other, which barely avoided capture. During the [[Barbary Wars]], the ship served on the blockade of Tripoli in 1802 and again from 1804-5. After the first Barbary conflict ended, she was laid up in late 1805, inactive, at the Washington Navy Yard, as part of President [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s economy program.