The Continental Congress established the Continental Navy on October 13, 1775. The Second Continental Congress passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of two vessels for an armed cruise against British merchant ships.
The resolution came during the early months of the American Revolutionary War, when Congress sought ways to disrupt British supply lines. It created a continental naval force rather than merely relying on the separate naval efforts of individual colonies. The new service initially had limited resources and faced the world’s strongest navy.
Congress authorized thirteen frigates in December 1775, but the Continental Navy never became a large fleet. It captured or disrupted some British shipping, while many of its vessels were lost or sold. The navy was disbanded after the war, and the last remaining ship was sold in 1785.
The modern United States Navy traces its institutional heritage to this Revolutionary-era force. The Navy officially observes October 13 as its birthday, making the date especially relevant to America250’s commemoration of the nation’s founding era.