On this day 27 March [Archive] - Sails of Glory Anchorage

7eat51

03-27-2013, 13:44

On the 27th of March 1794, the U.S. Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794, which authorized the construction of six frigates: Chesapeake (44), Congress (36), Constellation (36), Constitution (44), President (44), United States (44). President Washington selected all of the names but one – the Chesapeake – from a list developed by U.S. Secretary of War Timothy Pickering, all of which represented a major principle outlined in the U.S. Constitution. The remaining ship’s name was chosen several years later by then Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert.

USS Chesapeake:

2743

2751

USS Chesapeake vs. HMS Shannon:

2765

2766

USS Congress:

2744

2752

2753

USS Constellation vs. Insurgente:

2745

USS Constitution:

2754

2755

2756

2757

USS Constitution vs. Guerriere:

2761

2762

USS Constitution vs. HMS Java:

2763

2764

USS President:

2747

2759

USS President vs. HMS Little Belt:

2746

USS United States:

2748

2760

USS United States vs. HMS Macedonian:

2749

For more information on today's event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_six_frigates_of_the_United_States_Navy

csadn

03-27-2013, 15:04

There's a certain historical coincidence in that: The frigates named for aspects of the country (the stars of the flag; the nation's law document; the nation itself) were all extremely successful, while the ones named for political classes and the one name not chosen by The Father Of The Country failed miserably....