Omar Bennett
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. It is a wooden-hulled heavy frigate with three masts, weighing about 1,500 tons. The ship was built between 1794 and 1797 and has undergone numerous refits, rebuilds, overhauls, and restorations throughout its more than 220-year career. While the USS Constitution has faced threats of destruction and scrapping over the years, it has survived and remains a fully-commissioned Navy ship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Launching ceremony | 20 September 1797 |
| Notable guests at the launching ceremony | President John Adams, Massachusetts Governor Increase Sumner, three exiled French princes: Louis Philippe, Antoine Philippe, and Louis Charles |
| War of 1812 | Fought in numerous battles, earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" |
| Battles | Defeated five British warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant |
| Post-War of 1812 | Served in the Mediterranean and helped intercept and capture slave ships |
| Renovation | Saved from being scrapped in the 1840s, renovated, and sent on a world tour between 1845-1846 |
| Civil War | Served as a training ship for the US Naval Academy |
| Retirement | Retired from active duty in 1881 |
| Post-retirement | Housed sailors at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine until designated a museum ship in 1907 |
| 1906-1907 | Received her first "restoration" |
| 1927-1931 | Underwent restoration under Lieutenant John A. Lord |
| 1931 | Toured the US in a 90-port tour |
| 1938 | Broke loose from her dock during the New England Hurricane, collided with the destroyer Ralph Talbot, and suffered minor damage |
| 1940 | Recommissioned at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt |
| 1941 | Assigned the hull classification symbol IX-21 and served as a brig for officers awaiting court-martial |
| 1997 | Sailed on her 200th birthday |
| Current status | Fully-commissioned Navy ship, makes a few trips into Boston Harbor each year |
Explore related products
$9.99
What You'll Learn
The USS Constitution's extensive history of repairs and restoration
The USS Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides", is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. It was launched in 1797 and has had an extensive history of repairs and restoration.
As early as 1801, after her service in the Quasi-War with France, the USS Constitution underwent an extensive refit with stern work and new copper sheathing. In 1819, further repairs were made to the ship, with every beam replaced and new planks installed.
In 1826, the USS Constitution underwent repairs in Boston, suffering from the decay of her spar deck. Temporary repairs were completed in March 1827. The ship also underwent an overhaul in the Washington Navy Yard, which included cleaning and repairing copper sheathing, as well as installing new decking, spars, and rigging.
In 1906-1907, the USS Constitution received its first "restoration", aiming to recreate an earlier era of the ship's history. This included installing a partial sailing rig, replica guns, and an open waist at the spar deck level. The restoration was considered well-intentioned but historically inaccurate.
In 1924, the ship was found to be in grave condition, with water needing to be pumped out daily to keep her afloat. Despite this, it was recommended that she be thoroughly repaired to preserve her as long as possible. Funding was raised through various campaigns, including donations from schoolchildren and the sale of paintings and memorabilia.
In 1938, the USS Constitution broke loose from her dock during the New England Hurricane and collided with the destroyer Ralph Talbot, suffering minor damage. In the 1950s, the heating system was upgraded to a forced-air system, and a sprinkler system was added for fire protection.
The USS Constitution entered Dry Dock #1 in 1992 for an inspection and minor repairs, which turned into a comprehensive structural restoration. The ship was dry docked again from 1992 to 1995 for a significant 20th-century restoration, including the replacement of the spar deck and updating of the ship's rig.
The USS Constitution has continued to undergo maintenance and restoration in recent years, with work on the jibboom and spritsail yard completed in 2017.
The Constitution: Making It Work for the People
You may want to see also
The ship's role in the War of 1812 and its aftermath
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 name ""Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering in March or May 1797. It was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, and was launched in 1797.
The USS Constitution played a significant role in the War of 1812 with the United Kingdom. During this conflict, the ship captured numerous British merchant vessels and five warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. The capture of Guerriere earned her the nickname "Old Ironsides" and significant public admiration, which saved her from being scrapped. The USS Constitution's battery of guns typically consisted of 30 long 24-pounder cannons, with 15 on each side of the gun deck, and 22 more guns on the spar deck.
The War of 1812 was a conflict between the United States and Great Britain, stemming from broader tensions between Britain and France. The British naval practices infringed upon American maritime rights and disrupted American trade during the Napoleonic Wars. In response, the United States declared war on Britain on June 18, 1812. Despite the official end of the war with the Treaty of Ghent's ratification on February 17, 1815, sporadic fighting continued in remote locations.
After the War of 1812, USS Constitution continued to serve as a flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons. She circumnavigated the globe in the 1840s. During the American Civil War, she served as a training ship for the US Naval Academy. In 1878, she carried American artwork and industrial displays to the Paris Exposition. The USS Constitution was retired from active service in 1881 and became a museum ship in 1907. She underwent several restorations and continues to be a popular attraction, offering public cruises and demonstrations.
The Constitution: Power to the People
You may want to see also
The USS Constitution's designation as a museum ship
The USS Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides", has undergone numerous refits, rebuilds, overhauls, and restorations across her more than 220-year career. The ship was retired from active service in 1881 and served as a receiving ship until 1907, when she was designated a museum ship.
In the early 20th century, there were discussions about whether the USS Constitution should be destroyed or preserved. Secretary of the Navy Charles Bonaparte suggested that the ship, which had undergone extensive repairs and refits since its construction, was no longer the same vessel that fought in the War of 1812. He proposed that it could be used as target practice and sunk by the North Atlantic fleet. However, President Roosevelt, a naval enthusiast, disagreed and ensured that funds were allocated for the ship's restoration.
The restoration project began in 1906-1907, and the ship was designated a museum ship in 1907. The USS Constitution underwent further restoration work in the 1920s and 1930s, including the installation of a new jibboom made from laminated Douglas fir. In 1934, the ship completed a three-year, 90-port tour of the nation. During this time, she was maintained by a small crew who made upgrades to the heating and sprinkler systems.
Today, the USS Constitution is a fully commissioned Navy ship with a crew of 75 officers and sailors. The ship's mission is to promote understanding of the Navy's role in war and peace through educational outreach, historical demonstration, and active participation in public events as part of the Naval History and Heritage Command. The ship is open to the public year-round and offers free tours. The nearby privately-run USS Constitution Museum, which opened in 1976, provides additional context and exhibits related to the ship's history.
Israel-Iran: Iranian Constitution's Destructive Intentions Revealed
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The ship's construction, including materials and labour
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. The keel was laid down on 1 November 1794, and the ship was launched in 1797. It was one of six original frigates authorised for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and was the third constructed.
The ship's construction required 60 acres of trees, with primary materials consisting of pine and oak, including southern live oak cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia. The use of enslaved workers to harvest the oak was noted by USS Constitution Museum historian Carl Herzog as an "expediency that Navy officials and contractors saw as fundamental to the job".
The ship's frame was nearly double the height of the average two-story buildings that made up Boston's waterfront architecture. Over two years, shipwrights planked the hull, fitted beams, installed internal diagonal riders, placed mast steps, and laid deck planking. By July 1797, workers began installing 4,000 sheets of British-made copper on the finished hull below the waterline. On 15 September 1797, 480 men carried the ship's hempen anchor cable into Hartt's Yard, and the ship was ready for launch.
The USS Constitution's hull was built 21 inches thick, with a length between perpendiculars of 175 feet and an overall length of 204 feet. Its width was 43 feet and 6 inches. The ship's launching ceremony on 20 September 1797 was attended by President John Adams and Massachusetts Governor Increase Sumner. However, the ship initially became stuck during the launch due to its weight, and it finally floated into Boston Harbour on 21 October 1797.
The Constitution: Welfare and Wellbeing
You may want to see also
The USS Constitution's recommissioning in 1940
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 was recommissioned in 1940 at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt, along with its sister ship, the USS Constellation. This was not the first time the ship had been recommissioned, having undergone numerous "re-fits", "rebuilds", "overhauls", and "restorations" throughout its career.
In 1941, the USS Constitution was placed in permanent commission, and an Act of Congress in 1954 made the Secretary of the Navy responsible for its upkeep. The ship's heating was upgraded to a forced-air system in the 1950s, and a sprinkler system was added to protect it from fire.
The USS Constitution has a rich history, dating back to the Naval Act of 1794, which authorized the construction of six frigates, including the Constitution. The ship played a significant role in the Quasi-War with France, the Barbary War, and the War of 1812. It was also involved in diplomatic missions and the enforcement of peace treaties.
The ship's resilience and combat prowess earned it the nickname "Old Ironsides." Public sentiment played a crucial role in saving the USS Constitution from scrapping in 1905, and it continues to be an iconic symbol of American naval history.
Constitutional Republic: Democracy's True Form?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the USS Constitution faced the threat of destruction in the 1840s, but Captain "Madjack" Percival and a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes titled "Old Ironsides" helped save it from being scrapped.
The USS Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" after its battle with the British ship HMS Guerriere on August 19, 1812, during the War of 1812. Several cannonballs fired by the HMS Guerriere hit the USS Constitution and bounced off its sides.
Yes, the USS Constitution has undergone numerous "re-fits", "rebuilds", "overhauls", and restorations throughout its career. As early as 1801, after its service in the Quasi-War with France, the ship underwent extensive repairs. In 1819, further repairs were made, including replacing every beam in the ship.
The USS Constitution is currently a fully-commissioned Navy ship and makes a few trips into Boston Harbor each year, such as on the 4th of July. However, it primarily serves as a museum ship and has sailed on its own only twice in the past 25 years for a total of less than one hour.
