![]() ![]() On 26 August 1775, the assembly of the colony of Rhode Island sent its delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to request that “a fleet of sufficient force for the protection of these colonies” be established. The origins of the Navy actually predate independence by almost a year. It took a quarter century for the Navy to emerge as a stable institution, and although we now celebrate the birthday of the Navy on 13 October, that date in 1775 is but one of several important steps on the way to a permanent naval defense force for the American people. Yet the Navy’s creation and development proceeded piecemeal and haltingly in face of seemingly intractable political, ideological, and economic obstacles. The essay also laid out all the hopes of the new nation: peace, prosperity, and respect from the mighty nations of Europe. 11 of the Federalist Papers, 1787) on the crucial role a navy would play in safeguarding America’s commerce and reputation. ![]() “Let Americans disdain to be the instruments of European greatness! Let the thirteen States, bound together in a strict and indissoluble Union, concur in erecting one great American system, superior to the control of all transatlantic force or influence, and able to dictate the terms of the connection between the old and the new world!” 1
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