Editor’s note: For readers seeking more information on grog and the history of naval drinking, be sure to check out our podcast on the subject here, and articles here and here.
America’s military actions in the Middle East and North Africa are not isolated to the modern era. In truth, American military forces have been conducting operations in the region against non-state actors terrorizing civilians for nearly the entirety of American history.
In the late 1790s, America had come into its own as a commercial state. While still a long way from the robust, globe-spanning trade empires of Britain and France, the upstart nation had garnered a reputation as a land of merchants, and the American vessels traded in ports all over the world.
A vessel flagged under a fledging nation however, was not without risk. Unlike Britain and France, which backed their merchants with powerful navies and strong diplomatic ties, U.S.-flagged ships enjoyed few protections. America could not field a standing navy until 1789, as only with the adoption of the Constitution did the federal government gain the authority to raise a military in peacetime. Congress did not commission the first U.S. warships until 1794. Even then, Congress remained reluctant to construct expensive warships. For a time, the French Navy agreed to serve as a guarantor of U.S. vessels, but as U.S. merchants became more successful, the French started to fear American competition and withdrew their protection.
Read the Remainder at War on the Rocks
1 thought on “Naval Military History: Grog and the Barbary Wars”