On Sept. 17, 1787, the Continental Convention signed the Constitution of the United States at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, replacing the Articles of the Confederation.
Named in honor of the Constitution, USS Constitution is launched in 1797 and to date is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. In May 2015, the USS Constitution moved to Boston’s historic Charlestown Navy Yard to undergo three years of repairs.
To learn more about U.S. Navy history, please go to the Naval History and Heritage Command website: www.history.navy.mil/ or visit the NHHC blog The Sextant.