Simone Lawson
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Built in Boston, Massachusetts, and launched in 1797, it is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. The USS Constitution is not the only ship with this name—there were at least three passenger ships with the same name that operated between Europe and the United States in the 1800s, and another ship by the same name was built after World War II.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of masts | 3 |
| Hull material | Wood (pine, oak, and spruce) |
| Hull thickness | 21 inches (530 mm) |
| Length | 305 feet (93 meters) |
| Width | 43.6 feet (13.26 meters) |
| Mast height | 204 feet (62 meters) |
| Weight | 1,500 tons |
| Commission date | 1794 |
| Launch date | 1797 |
| Current location | Charlestown Navy Yard, Massachusetts |
| Status | Fully commissioned Navy ship |
| Notable battles | War of 1812, including defeats of HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant |
| Notable achievements | World's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat; served as a training ship during the Civil War |
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What You'll Learn
Construction and design
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 constructed between 1794 and 1797. It was one of six ships commissioned in 1794 by President George Washington to combat French privateers during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. The ship was designed by Joshua Humphreys, a Philadelphia-based shipwright. Humphreys designed the frigates to be larger, faster, and more powerful than standard frigates of the period, as he realised that the fledgling United States could not match the European states in the size of their navies.
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. Its keel, made of four massive lengths of New Jersey white oak scarfed and bolted together, was the first structural piece to be assembled. The ship's hull was built 21 inches (530 mm) thick, and its length between perpendiculars was 175 ft (53 m), with a 204 ft (62 m) length overall and a width of 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m). The primary materials used in its construction were pine and oak, including southern live oak. The hull consisted of three layers, with the outer and inner horizontal layers made of white oak and the centre vertical layer made of live oak.
The USS Constitution was launched into Boston Harbour on 21 October 1797 after two failed attempts. In July 1797, workers began installing 4,000 sheets of British-made copper on the finished hull below the waterline. The copper sheathing was intended to protect the hull from shipworm and prevent biofouling, which could reduce the ship's speed and manoeuvrability.
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Early years
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 story of the USS Constitution began in 1794 when the new US Congress debated protecting American shipping. The ship was launched in 1797, one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794, and the third constructed. 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 the young Navy's capital ships, so Constitution and her sister ships were larger and more heavily armed than standard frigates of the period.
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Its primary materials consisted of 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 total construction cost was about $302,000.
The first attempt to launch the ship into Boston Harbour failed, as did the second. The ship eventually succeeded on its third attempt and set off on its first cruise from Boston to the Caribbean. 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. This was America's first foray into diplomatic negotiations as a new sovereign nation.
The USS Constitution was ready to put to sea when the United States declared war on Great Britain on 18 June 1812. On 19 August 19, 1812, Constitution encountered HMS Guerriere in the North Atlantic, and the first frigate-to-frigate battle of the War of 1812 took place. Thirty-five minutes after the Americans opened fire, the British surrendered—an unexpected victory for the fledgling US Navy. In this battle, Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" when an American sailor, noting that some of the British cannonballs fell harmlessly off the ship's hull, shouted, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!".
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War of 1812
The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and the British Empire, along with their First Nation allies. It lasted from June 18, 1812, to February 17, 1815, and ended with the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty of Ghent. The origins of the war have been long debated, but multiple factors led to the US declaration of war on Britain.
One significant cause was trade restrictions imposed by Britain to impede American trade with France, with which Britain was at war. The US contested these restrictions as illegal under international law. Additionally, there was the issue of impressment, or the forced recruitment of seamen from US vessels into the Royal Navy. The British claimed these individuals were British deserters.
Another factor was British military support for Native Americans resisting American expansion into the Northwest Territory. This included Tecumseh's confederacy in the west and the Iroquois in the east, who employed tactics such as raids and ambushes, making effective use of their knowledge of the terrain. The US also had aspirations to annex Canada, and there was a desire to uphold national honour in the face of perceived British insults.
The United States Navy, at the onset of the war, had only 14 ocean-going warships, with a shortage of funding. They lacked ships-of-the-line capable of engaging in fleet actions with the Royal Navy, which had 500 ships in service in 1812. Instead, the US Navy pursued a strategy of commerce raiding, capturing or sinking British merchant ships.
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, played a notable role in the War of 1812. It was a three-masted, wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy, designed to overpower frigates of its time while escaping from a ship of the line. During the war, it outran a large British squadron and defeated four Royal Navy ships in combat, including the famous duel with HMS Guerriere, where its sturdy hull deflected cannonballs, earning its nickname.
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Later service and deterioration
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 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794.
The USS Constitution underwent numerous refits, rebuilds, overhauls, and restorations throughout its over 200-year career. In 1801, after its service in the Quasi-War with France, the ship underwent an extensive refit, including stern work and new copper sheathing made by Paul Revere. In 1819, Isaac Hull wrote about further repairs to the ship, noting that "every beam in her was new, and all the ceilings under the orlops were found rotten, and her plank outside from the water's edge to the gunwale were taken off and new put on."
In the 1830s and 1840s, the ship continued to see active service, patrolling the western coast of South America and transporting the Ambassador to Brazil, Henry A. Wise, and his family. However, by the 1870s, the ship's condition had deteriorated significantly. In 1871, it was retired as a training ship and towed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where it was placed in ordinary. Over the next few years, it continued to be used for training cruises, but its poor-quality 1876 overhaul led to it being deemed unfit for service in 1881.
The ship was then decommissioned and moved to the Portsmouth Navy Yard, where it was used as a receiving ship. A housing structure was built over its spar deck, and its condition continued to deteriorate, with only minimal maintenance performed to keep it afloat. In the early 20th century, President Roosevelt, a War of 1812 historian, and passionate navalist, allocated funds for the ship's first "restoration", aiming to recreate an earlier era in its physical history. This restoration took place in 1906-1907, and the ship underwent further rebuilding and refitting in the 1920s.
In 1931-1934, the ship embarked on a "National Cruise" to thank American schoolchildren who had raised funds for its restoration. It visited 76 ports and hosted over 4.6 million visitors. After returning to Boston in 1934, the ship remained in its home port, undergoing further restorations and refits. In 1974, Commander Tyrone G. Martin became the captain of the USS Constitution and set the precedent that all work on the ship should aim to maintain its 1812 configuration. The ship led a parade of tall ships up Boston Harbor in 1976 and was designated America's official "Ship of State" in 2009.
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Restoration and museum status
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat. Launched in 1797, it is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy.
The USS Constitution has undergone several restoration projects over the years to maintain its structural integrity and historical accuracy. In 1907, the ship began serving as a museum ship, with public tours offered. This marked the start of its transition from an active naval vessel to a museum piece. However, even as a museum ship, the Constitution continued to be maintained by a small crew, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
In 1934, after a three-year tour that attracted over 4.6 million visitors, the ship returned to its home port of Boston, where it continued its role as a museum ship. During this period, upgrades were made to the heating system, and a sprinkler system was installed to protect the ship from fire. Despite these improvements, limited funds led to deterioration, and some items were removed by souvenir hunters.
In 1940, the USS Constitution was recommissioned at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt, signalling a new phase in its history. Funds were approved again in 1972 for a significant restoration project, and the ship entered dry dock from 1973 to 1974. This restoration focused on replacing large quantities of red oak, which had been an experiment in the 1950s but had mostly rotted away by 1970. Commander Tyrone G. Martin, who became the ship's captain in 1974, emphasised the importance of maintaining the ship's 1812 configuration, for which it is most recognised.
The privately-run USS Constitution Museum opened its doors in April 1976, providing a dedicated space to showcase the ship's history and artefacts. The museum is located near the ship at the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, allowing visitors to explore both the ship and the museum.
The USS Constitution continues to undergo periodic restoration work to preserve its structure. In 2010, it emerged from a three-year repair period, during which the spar deck was stripped down and the decking overhead was replaced to restore its original curvature. More recently, in 2015, the ship entered dry dock once again for a scheduled restoration, with the Department of the Navy providing $12-15 million for this project. After the restoration's completion, the ship returned to the water in July 2017, continuing its legacy as a floating museum and a testament to naval history.
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Frequently asked questions
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy.
The USS Constitution was launched in 1797.
Joshua Humphreys designed the USS Constitution.
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.
No, during the 1800s, there were at least three passenger ships named Constitution that conducted services between Europe and the United States. Another ship with the same name was built after World War II.
