9781422280195

supplies from being brought in from sea, while the Union Army received much of its supplies from Navy shipping. These two conflicts proved that the U.S. Navy was an important military force in its own right. For about a decade after the Civil War, however, it declined in shipping and personnel as the United States attempted to rebuild itself. From the 1880s onward, the Navy began its gradual rise to become the global leader of the seas.

The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Her crew of 60 officers and sailors participate in ceremonies and educational programs, and the ship is open to the public year round for tours. The Constitution is berthed at Pier 1 at one end of Boston’s Freedom Trail.

D efending the S eas : T he N avy

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