Simone Lawson
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. Built in 1797, the ship was launched from Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and renovations, with fund-raising efforts including donations from school children and the sale of souvenirs and artwork. In 1927, the ship entered dry dock for repairs and restoration, emerging in 1930 with approximately 85% of the ship having been replaced.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Launch date | 1797 |
| First cruise | Boston to the Caribbean |
| First duties | To provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War |
| Length | 204 ft (62 m) |
| Length between perpendiculars | 175 ft (53 m) |
| Width | 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) |
| Thickness of hull | 21 inches (530 mm) |
| Total construction cost | $302,000 |
| Total repair cost (1813-1815) | $118,000 |
| Total funds raised by schoolchildren | $154,000 |
| Total funds raised by selling souvenirs | $148,000 |
| Total funds raised by selling lithographs | $1,000,000 |
| Percentage of the ship renewed during the 1927-1931 restoration | 85% |
Explore related products
$68.95
What You'll Learn
- The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a wooden-hulled heavy frigate
- The ship was launched in 1797 and is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat
- The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts
- The ship's first duties included protecting American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War
- The USS Constitution was designated the symbolic flagship of the US fleet during World War II
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a wooden-hulled heavy frigate
The ship's keel was laid down on November 1, 1794, under the supervision of Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn. Constitution's hull was built 21 inches thick, with a length of 175 feet between perpendiculars and a total length of 204 feet. The primary materials used in its construction 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 earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812, when it faced off against the British frigate Guerriere. Despite suffering only slight damage in the engagement, many of Guerriere's shots rebounded harmlessly off Constitution's hull. An American sailor reportedly exclaimed, "Her sides are made of iron!" Following this victory, Constitution returned to Boston, where Hull passed command to Commodore William Bainbridge, who took the ship to the South Atlantic. There, Constitution encountered the HMS Java off the coast of Brazil. A British shot wrecked her helm, but by steering directly with the rudder, Constitution kept in the fight and ultimately forced Java's surrender.
Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and replacements, with only about 15% of the ship remaining original. In the early 1900s, there were plans to use the ship as a target for the Atlantic fleet, but these plans were scrapped thanks to the intervention of Teddy Roosevelt. Today, the ship is maintained as a museum in Boston, having sailed in the open seas most recently in 2012 to mark the bicentennial of her victory over Guerriere.
Understanding 'Constitute' in Context
You may want to see also
The ship was launched in 1797 and is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. The ship was launched in Boston Harbour on 21 October 1797, making it the world's oldest naval warship still afloat.
The USS Constitution was one of six original frigates authorised for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and was the third to be constructed. The ship's keel was laid in Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, on 1 November 1794. The name "Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering. Joshua Humphreys designed the frigates to be larger and more heavily armed than standard frigates of the period, to serve as the young Navy's capital ships.
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. In 1805, a peace treaty with Tripoli was signed on the Constitution's deck. During the War of 1812, the ship earned its enduring nickname, "Old Ironsides", after defeating the British warship Guerrière off the coast of Nova Scotia. Witnesses claimed that British shots merely bounced off the Constitution's sides, as if the ship were made of iron rather than wood.
The USS Constitution has undergone numerous repairs and restorations over the years. In 1927, Lieutenant John A. Lord supervised the ship's restoration, which included gathering wood from across the country. The ship was dry-docked in 1930, with approximately 85% of it having been replaced. The most recent restoration was completed in 1997, allowing the ship to sail for the first time in 116 years.
Pennsylvania Constitution: Mail-in Voting Legality
You may want to see also
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts
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 Naval Act of 1794.
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Its keel was laid down on 1 November 1794 under the supervision of Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn of the Martha's Vineyard Athearns. The hull of the USS Constitution was built 21 inches (530 mm) thick, with a length of 204 ft (62 m) and a width of 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m). The construction required 60 acres (24 ha) of trees, primarily pine and oak. The ship's first duties included providing protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
The USS Constitution has a long and illustrious history, including its role in the War of 1812, where it was celebrated for its victories. After the war, the ship was laid up and underwent repairs before returning to service in the Mediterranean, where it played a strategic role in preventing a broader Mediterranean conflict during Greece's struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and restoration work to preserve it. In 1897, the ship returned to Boston amid citywide celebrations, and efforts were made to raise funds for its restoration. In 1926, Secretary of the Navy Curtis D. Wilbur proposed that the required funds be raised privately, and various initiatives, including school programs and the sale of paintings, contributed to the restoration fund. By the time the ship entered dry dock in 1927, approximately 85% of it had been replaced to make it seaworthy again.
Today, the USS Constitution is berthed at Pier One of the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. It remains open to the public and continues to undergo maintenance, repair, and restoration work to preserve its legacy as one of the oldest naval warships still afloat.
Hume's Influence: Shaping the US Constitution
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The ship's first duties included protecting American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, was launched in 1797 and was one of the first six frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. Its first duties included protecting American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
The Quasi-War with France lasted from 1798 to 1801 and was the first seaborne conflict for the newly established U.S. Navy. It centred around protecting American neutral trading rights, specifically against French privateers who were seizing U.S. shipping in the Caribbean. Between October 1796 and July 1797, more than 300 American merchant ships and their cargoes were seized in the greater Caribbean. The conflict with France was complicated, as war was never formally declared and French naval warships directly clashed with American ships only a few times. The Quasi-War officially ended with the Convention of 1800, also known as the Treaty of Mortefontaine, which re-asserted the United States' right to free trade.
The Barbary Wars were a series of conflicts between the United States and the Barbary States of North Africa, which often practiced state-supported piracy to exact tribute from weaker Atlantic powers. The First Barbary War lasted from 1801 to 1805 and saw the USS Constitution assist in the defeat of Barbary pirates. The Barbary States' practice of state-supported piracy and ransoming captives was not unusual for the time, and many European states also participated in the ransacking of merchant shipping. The United States negotiated treaties with the Barbary States to secure safe transit for American ships in the Mediterranean, but these treaties came at a substantial ongoing cost in the form of tribute payments.
The USS Constitution played a crucial role in protecting American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating Barbary pirates during the First Barbary War, contributing to its legacy as one of the world's oldest and most renowned naval warships.
Senators: Constitutional Selection Process Explained
You may want to see also
The USS Constitution was designated the symbolic flagship of the US fleet during World War II
The USS Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides", is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It was launched in 1797 and is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
The USS Constitution gained its nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812 with the United Kingdom, when it captured numerous British merchant ships and five warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. Its capture of Guerriere earned the admiration of the public, which repeatedly saved it from being scrapped.
In the years following the War of 1812, the USS Constitution continued to serve as a flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons, and it circled the world in the 1840s. During this time, it played a significant role in the international fight against slavery as the Africa Squadron flagship, intercepting ships illegally transporting people from Africa to Cuba.
The ship underwent another significant restoration in the late 1920s, and in 1930, approximately 85% of the ship had been "renewed" to make it seaworthy again. In 1940, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, signed by President Barack Obama, designated the USS Constitution as "America's Ship of State". This honour recognised the ship's long and distinguished history of service and its role as a symbol of American naval power.
The Constitution: Guarding Against Tyranny
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The USS Constitution was built between 1794 and 1797 at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts.
The USS Constitution required repairs as early as 1813, when its gun deck was partially changed. By 1815, the ship's guns and gunner's stores were transferred to the USS Independence. After years of service, the USS Constitution underwent extensive repairs in the 1820s to prepare for Mediterranean service.
It is unclear when the USS Constitution received assistance specifically for its repairs. However, the ship underwent periodic maintenance and repairs over the years, with significant restoration efforts taking place in the 1920s and 1930s.
