On what date were the Continental Marines established, the origin of the U.S. Marine Corps?

The Continental Marines were established on November 10, 1775, the origin date celebrated by the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Second Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Marines during the American Revolutionary War. The new force was intended to serve aboard Continental Navy ships, fight ship-to-ship, protect vessels, and take part in operations ashore.

The Marines were formally organized in Philadelphia, and Samuel Nicholas is regarded as the first commandant. Tun Tavern is traditionally associated with early Marine recruiting, although historians note that the exact location of the first recruiting activity is debated.

The Continental Marines were disbanded after the Revolution, but Congress re-established the modern Marine Corps in 1798. The Corps nevertheless continues to honor November 10, 1775, as its official birthday. Its 250th anniversary in 2025 was another major revolutionary-era milestone preceding America250.