The ship was built under the direction of David Stodder at The Joseph and Samuel Sterett shipyard on Harris Creek in Baltimore's Fell's Point maritime community, and was launched on 7 September 1797.

[11][12][13] However, Constellation was a scaled-down version of his more famous designs for Constitution, United States and President, being closer in size to the standard European frigates of the day, and mounting the usual armament of 18-pounder guns.

Constellation was built under the direction of Colonel David Stodder at his naval shipyard on Harris Creek in Baltimore's Fell's Point maritime community, according to a design by Joshua Humphreys.

Harris Creek which flows into the Northwest Branch of the Patapsco River was later filled in to gain additional land for residential/industrial development and diverted underground to a subterranean storm drain and culvert in the early 19th century.

An earlier visitor to the Harris Creek naval shipyard of David Stodder, east of Baltimore Town in 1796, the Duke de la Rochefoucaule-Liancourt, saw Constellation under construction and noted in his journal: "I thought her too much encumbered with wood-work within, but in other respects she is a fine vessel being built of those beautiful kinds of wood, the ever-green oak and cedar; she is pierced for 36 guns.

Each commanding officer outfitted armaments to his liking, taking into consideration factors such as the overall tonnage of cargo, complement of personnel aboard, and planned routes to be sailed.

Constellation convoyed American merchantmen from June through August 1798 before sailing under the command of Captain Thomas Truxtun for the West Indies in December 1798 to protect the United States's commerce in the Caribbean.

[21] On 9 February 1799, under the command of Truxtun, Constellation fought and captured the frigate L'Insurgente of 36 guns, the fastest ship in the French Navy.

[citation needed] The battle started about 18 miles (29 km) NE of the island of Nevis about midday when Constellation spotted L'Insurgente, which hoisted studding sails and attempted to run.

Captain Barreaut had been shown one of Constellation's 24 pound cannonballs and understood that he was in a completely unequal contest with sails down and nothing comparable to reply with many already dead and wounded.

While anchoring in Delaware Bay on 10 April 1801, she was caught in winds and an ebb tide that ran her aground on a sand bar and laid her over on her beam ends.

[58] In response, Thomas Jefferson sent a squadron of frigates to protect American merchant ships in the Mediterranean and pursue peace with the Barbary States.

[59][60] The first squadron, under the command of Richard Dale in President, was instructed to escort merchant ships through the Mediterranean and negotiate with leaders of the Barbary States.

[67] She cruised widely throughout the Mediterranean in 1804 to show the flag; evacuated in June 1805 a contingent of United States Marines, as well as diplomatic personages, from Derne at the conclusion of a fleet-shore operation against Tripoli; and took part in a squadron movement against Tunis that culminated in peace terms in August 1805.

[1] Constellation underwent repairs at Washington, D.C., in 1812–1813, and with the advent of the War of 1812 with the United Kingdom, commanded by Captain Charles Stewart, was dispatched to Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Here the ship was exposed to attacks from the British force still lying in Hampton Roads, and, fearing they would attempt to carry her by surprise, Captain Stewart made preparation for defense.

The crew anchored in the middle of the narrow channel, flanked by gun-boats, lower ports closed, not a rope left hanging over the sides; the boarding nettings, boiled in half-made pitch till they were as hard as wire, were triced outboard toward the yardarms, and loaded with kentledge to fall on the attacking boats when the tricing lines were cut, while the carronades were loaded to the muzzle with musket balls, and depressed so as to sweep the water near the ship.

Twice, a force of British, estimated by their foes to number 2,000 men, started off at night to take Constellation by surprise but on each occasion they were discovered and closely watched by guard-boats, and they never ventured to make the attack.

[70][71] Constellation, attached to the Mediterranean Squadron under Commodore Stephen Decatur, sailed from New York on 20 May 1815 and joined in the capture of the Algerian frigate Mashuda on 17 June 1815.

Constellation remained with the squadron under Commodores William Bainbridge, Isaac Chauncey, and John Shaw to enforce the accords, returning to Hampton Roads only in December 1817.

[1] In the spring of 1819 Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson selected Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry for the mission of establishing friendly relations with the government of newly independent Venezuela and negotiating to obtain restitution for United States schooners Tiger and Liberty that the Venezuelans had illegally taken during the revolution.

In 1819, by order of President James Monroe Constellation sailed for the Orinoco River, Venezuela, along with the frigate John Adams and the schooner Nonsuch.

A favorable treaty was signed on 11 August with Vice-president Francisco Antonio Zea, but when the little fleet started downriver, many of the crew including Perry had been stricken with yellow fever.

Despite the efforts to reach Trinidad for medical assistance, the commodore died on his 34th birthday on board John Adams shortly after her arrival at Gulf of Paria on 23 August.

[73] Constellation remained thus employed for two years, protecting American shipping off the coast of Peru, an area where disquiet erupted into revolt against Spain.

In 1825, Constellation was chosen as flagship for Commodore Lewis Warrington and began duty with the West India Squadron to eradicate waning piracy operations in the Caribbean.

Other ships operating with Constellation during this period in the West Indies were John Adams, Hornet, Spark, Grampus, Shark, Fox and Decoy.

After the mission had been accomplished, they then cruised with the West India Squadron until 1838 serving part of this period in the capacity of flagship for Commodore Alexander Dallas.

As flagship of Captain Kearny and the East India Squadron, their mission, as assigned in March 1841, was to safeguard American lives and property against loss during the Opium War, and further, to enable negotiation of commercial treaties.

En route home in May 1843 she entered the Hawaiian Islands, helping to keep them from becoming a British protectorate, and thereafter sailed homeward making calls at South American ports.