Building/Launching the Constitution and Her Sister Ships

Question 1

Name All 6 Frigates, Their Ratings, and Their Launch Sites

Answer 1

1) Constitution- 44-gun Frigate, Launched in Boston
2) United States- 44-gun Frigate, Launched in Philadelphia
3) President- 44-gun Frigate, Launched in New York City
4) Constellation- 36-gun Frigate, Launched in Baltimore
5) Congress- 36-gun Frigate, Launched in Portsmouth 6) Chesapeake- 36-gun Frigate, Launched in Gosport (Now, Norfolk, Va.)

Question 2

Reason for 6 Different Building Sites

Answer 2

To Prevent Sabatoge

Question 3

Who Was Officially Appointed to Prepare Plans for the Frigate?

Answer 3

Joshua Humphries

Question 4

Background to the Naming of the Original Six Frigates

Answer 4

George Washington was given a list of 10 names and he circled 5, Chesapeake was added later.

Question 5

Cost of Constitution’s Construciton

Answer 5

$300,000

Question 6

The Constitution’s Keel and Her Several Launch Attempts

Answer 6

Keel was laid Summer 1795, 4 parts to keel, Sept. 20, Stuck in the Mud, Sept. 22, Stuck in the Mud, Oct. 21, 1797, waited for high tide and shot off a cannon when she was afloat.

Question 7

Diagonal Riders and Their Purpose

Answer 7

Design by Joshua Humphries, they were the ribs of the ship that supported the ship’s weight. Crossed each other.

Question 8

Standard Knees and Their Purpose

Answer 8

They were placed on the gun and berth decks to support the weight of the guns on the spar and guns decks.

Question 9

Importance of Live Oak in the Construction of the Six Frigates

Answer 9

1.5x denser than white oak. Found off the coast of Georgia, Splinters inwards instead of outwards causing less casualties from shrapnel.

Question 10

Hogging

Answer 10

When the deck bends under weight on the sides instead of in the middle (sagging).