Eleanor Finch
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. Construction of the ship began on November 1, 1794, at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, and it was launched in 1797. The USS Constitution was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794, signed by President George Washington, and the third to be constructed. The ship's hull was built using pine and oak, including southern live oak cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia. The construction of the USS Constitution involved the forced labour of enslaved people, with an estimated 60 acres of trees needed for the ship. Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and refits, including a major restoration in Boston between 2007 and 2010, to maintain its seaworthiness and historical accuracy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Launch year | 1797 |
| Construction start year | 1794 |
| Construction duration | 3 years |
| Shipyard | Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts |
| Supervision | Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn and Foreman Prince Athearn of the Martha's Vineyard Athearns |
| Hull thickness | 21 inches (530 mm) |
| Length between perpendiculars | 175 ft (53 m) |
| Overall length | 204 ft (62 m) |
| Width | 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) |
| Trees used | 60 acres (24 ha) |
| Primary materials | Pine and oak |
| Cost of restoration in 2024 dollars | $11,076,523 |
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What You'll Learn
Construction began in 1794
Construction of the USS Constitution began in 1794, with the keel being laid on 1 November of that year. The ship was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts, and was supervised by Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn. The hull of the USS Constitution was built to be 21 inches (530 mm) thick, with a length between perpendiculars of 175 ft (53 m) and an overall length of 204 ft (62 m). The ship's construction required a vast amount of wood, with 60 acres (24 ha) of trees needed, primarily pine and oak. Notably, southern live oak was used, sourced from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia. The labour of enslaved people was utilised to harvest the oak, with USS Constitution Museum historian Carl Herzog acknowledging the role of forced labour in the ship's construction.
The USS Constitution was one of six original frigates authorised for construction by the Naval Act of 1794, also known as the 'Act to provide a Naval Armament'. It was the third ship to be constructed out of the six authorised. The name "`Constitution`" was selected from a list of ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering. The ship's designer, Joshua Humphreys, envisioned these frigates as the young Navy's capital ships, and thus they were larger and more heavily armed than the standard frigates of that time.
The USS Constitution was launched in 1797, three years after construction began. Since its launch, the ship has undergone numerous repairs and refits to keep it in service. For instance, in 1815, the ship's guns and gunner's stores were transferred to the USS Independence, and extensive repairs were carried out to prepare the ship for Mediterranean service. More recently, in 1970, the ship underwent major repairs, with one-sixth of the hull planking being replaced, along with the masts, rigging, and gun carriages.
Today, the USS Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. It is open to the public at Pier One of the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. The ship remains operational, conducting annual "turnaround cruises" where it performs underway demonstrations in Boston Harbour before returning to its dock.
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Launched in 1797
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
The USS Constitution was launched in 1797, three years after its keel was laid down on November 1, 1794, at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. The ship was one of six original frigates authorised for construction by the Naval Act of 1794, signed by President George Washington, and was the third constructed.
The USS Constitution was built under the supervision of Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn. The ship's hull was built to be 21 inches (530 mm) thick, with a length between perpendiculars of 175 ft (53 m) and an overall length of 204 ft (62 m). Its width was 43 ft 6 inches (13.26 m), and it required 60 acres (24 ha) of trees for its construction. The primary materials used were pine and oak, including southern live oak cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia. Enslaved workers were used to harvest the oak used for the ship's construction.
The USS Constitution's first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. The ship has undergone extensive repairs and refits throughout its history, including a major restoration in Boston between 2007 and 2010. It is currently berthed at Pier One of the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston and is open to the public year-round.
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Built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. Built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, the ship was launched in 1797, three years after the keel was laid down in 1794.
The construction of the USS Constitution took place at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. The ship was one of six original frigates authorised for construction by the Naval Act of 1794, which created the new United States Navy. The USS Constitution was the third frigate to be constructed. The keel laying ceremony took place on 1 November 1794, under the supervision of Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn. The hull of the ship was built with a thickness of 21 inches and a length between perpendiculars of 175 feet. Its overall length reached 204 feet, with a width of 43 feet and 6 inches.
The materials used in the construction of the USS Constitution included pine and oak, with the latter being sourced from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia. The ship required a significant amount of timber, with an estimated 60 acres of trees needed for its construction. Unfortunately, the labour of enslaved people was utilised to harvest the oak used for the ship's assembly.
The USS Constitution underwent several repairs and refits throughout its history. In 1815, after years of service, extensive repairs were carried out to prepare the ship for Mediterranean duty. The hull planking, framing, decks, beams, and interior carpentry were all repaired or replaced. During this period, the ship's gun deck was also rebuilt to restore its original height. In 1970, another major inspection revealed that decades of inadequate maintenance had left the ship in need of significant repairs once more. Workers replaced a portion of the hull planking, and the masts, rigging, and gun carriages were updated with modern materials.
The USS Constitution has a long and illustrious history, having served during the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War. It continues to be a symbol of American naval power and history, with ongoing maintenance and restoration efforts ensuring its preservation for future generations.
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Used pine and oak as primary materials
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
The ship's construction began on November 1, 1794, at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, under the supervision of Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn. The ship was launched in 1797, three years after construction began.
The primary materials used in the construction of the USS Constitution were pine and oak, including southern live oak. This live oak was a critical resource, and it was cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island in Georgia. The labour of enslaved people was used to harvest this oak, with USS Constitution Museum historian Carl Herzog stating that "the forced labour of enslaved people was an expediency that Navy officials and contractors saw as fundamental to the job". In total, 60 acres of trees were needed for the ship's construction.
The use of pine and oak as the primary materials for the USS Constitution's construction reflects the available resources and building practices of the time. Wood, especially oak, was a common material for ship construction due to its strength and durability. Pine was also a readily available resource in the region, making it a practical choice for the ship's construction.
Over time, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and restorations to maintain its structural integrity. During these processes, other materials have been introduced, such as laminated timbers and polypropylene line for rigging. Despite these modern additions, the ship's original pine and oak structure remains a testament to the craftsmanship and resourcefulness of its builders.
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Named by President George Washington
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. The ship was launched in 1797, one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the 'Act to provide a Naval Armament', signed by President George Washington on March 27, 1794. This act created the new United States Navy.
The name "Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering in March or May 1794 for the frigates that were to be constructed. Joshua Humphreys designed these frigates to be the main ships of the young Navy, so the USS Constitution and its sister ships were larger and more heavily armed and built than standard frigates of that time. The ship was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Its first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
The USS Constitution was built over a period of three years, from 1794 to its launch in 1797. The keel was laid on November 1, 1794, at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. The ship's hull was built 21 inches thick, with a length of 175 feet between perpendiculars and an overall length of 204 feet. The construction required 60 acres of trees, primarily pine and oak, including southern live oak cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia. Unfortunately, enslaved workers were used to harvest the oak used for the ship's construction.
Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and refitting to keep it in service. In 1815, after serving in the Mediterranean, the ship underwent repairs to its hull planking, framing, decks, beams, and interior carpentry. In 1833, an Andrew Jackson figurehead was mounted on the bow, but it was later sawed off by a local captain named Samuel Worthington Dewey as a protest against the president. In 1927, Lieutenant John A. Lord supervised another major restoration project, sourcing wood from various states across the country. The ship has continued to receive maintenance and repairs to this day, including a recent dry docking and restoration in Boston, ensuring its survival as a historic vessel.
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Frequently asked questions
The USS Constitution was built between 1794 and 1797.
The USS Constitution's first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
The USS Constitution typically makes at least one "turnaround cruise" per year.
