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Morgan, Naval Historical Center emeritus and Michael A. Langley, Smithsonian Institution Christopher McKee, Grinnell College William J.

Fowler, Jr., Northeastern University Harold D. In addition, the Center deeply appreciates the contributions of several noted authorities on early American history who offered their criticisms and suggestions as this volume evolved through several drafts. Hughes, deserve praise for the fine scholarship reflected in this volume. Crawford, who heads the Naval Historical Center's Early History Branch, and his associate, Christine F. As we approach the twenty- first century, that recognition still explains why our country needs to maintain a strong navy. Simply put, we learned in this period that the United States faced unpredictable threats, from different sources and in several regions, that needed to be met by a navy capable of defending American interests on the high seas. The nation's experiment in doing without a naval force in the years following the American Revolution proved to be entirely unsatisfactory. It is possible to argue that the decision to re-create a navy in the turbulent decade of the 1790s is as significant as the founding of the Continental Navy in 1775. These foreign threats, combined with the determination by many leaders to establish the United States as a major power, led President Washington and Congress to recognize the need to restore American defenses at sea. But actual steps to create that service did not occur until the mid-1790s, when America's thriving overseas shipping and trade became targets of attacks and interference. Following the winning of American independence, however, our nation elected to have no navy for a period of almost ten years.Īmerica's founding fathers included provisions for a navy in the new federal constitution of 1789. In comprehending the significance of this milestone in our naval history, one needs to remember that the United States Navy traces its beginnings to the Continental Navy that was established in 1775 at the outset of the American Revolution. The purpose of this publication is to encourage understanding and further study of events associated with the rebirth of the American Navy in the 1790s.

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