Would the gun crews have different responsibilities aboard a 17th century ship than on the USS Constitution?

History

What was the crew of the USS Constitution?

If you walked the deck 200 years ago, you would have noticed how crowded it was. Today, the active-duty US Navy crew numbers between 60 and 70 men and women, but when Constitution set sail from Boston during the War of 1812, she carried more than 480 officers, sailors, and Marines.

Do the cannons on the USS Constitution work?

The present guns aboard USS Constitution date from the 1927-31 restoration. They are inaccurate replicas, purporting to be like the ship’s War of 1812 armament (refer again to information above), and were never intended to be fired.

How many guns were on the USS Constitution?

Originally rated as a 44-gun frigate, USS Constitution typically carried around 54 guns. During the War of 1812, she mounted twenty-four 32-pound carronades on the spar deck, as well as a long 18-pound “chase” gun forward, and thirty 24-pound long guns on the gun deck.
Aug 25, 2015

How many crews are on the USS Constitution?

Today, there are 75 enlisted sailors and three commissioned officers assigned to USS Constitution.

What is unique about the USS Constitution?

The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Constructed in Boston in 1797, she was one of the United States Navy’s first men-of-war. Her exploits during the War of 1812 made her the stuff of legend. Americans fought on her behalf to save the great ship from destruction.
Jul 19, 2017

What made the USS Constitution so strong?

America’s embryonic navy, which included the USS Constitution and several other frigates, was fashioned in part from a remarkable species of wood called southern live oak. A dense wood that weighed as much as 75 pounds per cubic foot, live oak was extremely strong and resistant to rot and salt air.
May 24, 2016

Why did cannonballs bounce off USS Constitution?

A combination of different types of oak layered around each other made the ship’s surfaces dense and difficult to pierce. The multiple layers of wood absorbed the cannonballs’ impacts of the and dissipated the forces quickly.
Apr 14, 2021

How effective were cannons on ships?

By modern standards, these cannon were extremely inefficient, difficult to load, and short ranged. These characteristics, along with the handling and seamanship of the ships that mounted them, defined the environment in which the naval tactics in the Age of Sail developed.

Can the USS Constitution still sail?

After over 200 years in the Navy, Constitution still calls Charlestown home and relies on the same facilities for maintenance and repair. Today, USS Constitution occasionally sails through Boston Harbor for special anniversaries and commemorations.
Jan 12, 2023



What was the crew size of the USS Constitution?

Designed by Joshua Humphreys, the frigate USS Constitution was launched at Edmond Hartt Shipyard in Boston on October 21, 1797. Completed at a cost of $302,718, it carried a crew of 450 to 500 men, measured 204 feet in length with a beam of 43.5 feet and displaced 2,200 tons of water.

What is the crew complement of a Constitution Class starship?

This class of starship featured an increase in crew compliment, approximately 520 persons, from its predecessor. Also new to this refitted class were a virtual upgrade of all key systems. A new bridge module was installed and main engineering received an upgrade, along with the replacement of the warp nacelles.

How many sailors died on the USS Constitution?

More than 260 officers and crew have died while serving on board the ship over her centuries of service. Only 26 of those died either in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.
May 7, 2019

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