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The Role of the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812

The Role of the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812. Featuring the service of the USS Constitution. Background picture courtesy of http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/historyupdate.htm. The US Navy is created:.

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The Role of the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812

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  1. The Role of the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812 Featuring the service of the USS Constitution Background picture courtesy of http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/historyupdate.htm

  2. The US Navy is created: March 27, 1794 - President George Washington signs "an act to provide a naval armament." By authorizing the construction of six frigates (what we would call "cruisers" today) the Third Congress in effect creates the U.S. Navy. The ships are designed by Mr. Joshua Humphreys, a Philadelphia Quaker and an innovative naval architect, and are to be built at six different cities. Why? The immediate issue is the need to protect the large American merchant fleet from continuous and increasing attacks by the North African "Barbary pirate" states of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli-as well as from aggressive high-seas practices of the British. The British were engaging in the practice of “impressment”, the act of forcing American sailors to serve in the military or navy, usually by force and without notice.

  3. USS CONSTITUTION The contract for one of the six (6) commissioned ships, to be named USS CONSTITUTION, is given to Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. • The USS Constitution is under construction from 1794-1797. Being built to defend the young American nation, the ship is nearly as old as the historic document for which President Washington names her. Both the document and the ship have proven to be resilient symbols of America's strength, courage, and liberty.

  4. USS CONSTITUTION is designed to be powerful enough to outfight any enemy warship approximately her same size, and yet fast enough to outsail a larger opponent. • Made from approximately 2,000 trees (with specialty woods obtained from Maine to Georgia), armed with cannons cast in Rhode Island, and fitted with copper fastenings provided by the famous Boston smith Paul Revere, the vessel is truly a "national" ship. • Launched on October 21, 1797, she doesn't put to sea until 1798.

  5. The USS CONSTITUTION HEADS TO WAR AND FIGHTS HER FIRST WARTIME BATTLE AGAINST THE HMS GUERRIERE…

  6. USS Constitution meets the HMS Guerriere, August 19, 1812, some 600 miles east of Nova Scotia, and the battle begins… HMS GUERRIERE After an hour of inconclusive maneuvering and shooting, the two settle down to a short-range slugfest. After 20 minutes the Briton's mizzenmast falls, and a short time later both her remaining masts go overboard. At some point in the battle, someone reportedly sees a British shot bounce off USS CONSTITUTION's side, and shouts, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"-and so is born the nickname "OLD IRONSIDES." USS CONSTITUTION The Americans have 14 casualties; the British, 79. HMS GUERRIERE is so badly damaged she has to be sunk after the surviving crew are brought onboard USS CONSTITUTION.

  7. USS Constitution meets the HMS JAVA, December 29, 1812, about 30 miles off the coast of Brazil, and the battle begins… HMS JAVA At about 2 in the afternoon, she begins a fight with the faster HMS JAVA. Commodore William Bainbridge, now in command of "Old Ironsides," is wounded twice, and the ship's steering wheel is shot away, but for more than 3 hours he maneuvers masterfully and fights tenaciously until, finally, HMS JAVA has no masts left standing and her captain lays dying. USS CONSTITUTION This time there are 34 American casualties as opposed to around 130 British. Like HMS GUERRIERE, HMS JAVA is too badly damaged to bring home - but before he sinks her, Bainbridge has her wheel removed to replace the one shot away on USS CONSTITUTION.

  8. 1813At the end of February, USS CONSTITUTION returns to Boston, where there is great rejoicing over the victory over the JAVA. Commodore Bainbridge and the crew also receive considerable recognition-medals and prize money-in recognition of this second, spectacular triumph over the Royal Navy. • 1814 • January-April - Under the command of Capt. Charles Stewart, USS CONSTITUTION runs the blockade of Boston. She captures H.M. Schooner Pictou as well as several small vessels during a cruise to the Windward and Leeward Islands. • April - "Old Ironsides" escapes into Marblehead, MA while being chased by two British frigates. She shortly returns to Boston for repairs. • Blockaded in Boston for eight months, from April to December. Finally, taking advantage of bad weather and poor visibility in December, Captain Stewart slips past the enemy and out to sea. After the battle with the HMS JAVA:

  9. February 20, 1815 - Capt. Charles Stewart has USS CONSTITUTION about 180 miles from Madeira when he encounters the British men-of-war HMS CYANE (24 guns) and HMS LEVANT (18 guns). HMS LEVANT British Squadron USS CONSTITUTION This two-against-one fight begins as the sun is setting. Through superb sail handling and tactics, Stewart swiftly closes on HMS CYANE and deals her tremendous damage to her masts and rigging. Then he blasts HMS LEVANT hard enough to put her out of action for awhile, during which time he closes again on HMS CYANE and forces her surrender. After putting a prize crew on HMS CYANE, he turns his attention again to HMS LEVANT, chasing and firing into her until she also surrenders. Stewart has 18 killed and wounded; his two opponents have around 80 casualties. He hopes to bring both captures home, but runs into a British squadron that retakes HMS LEVANT.

  10. USS CONSTITUTION vs British men-of-war HMS CYANE and HMS LEVANT (continued). HMS CYANE USS CONSTITUTION USS CONSTITUTION and HMS CYANE return safely to New York on May 15, 1815-Captain Stewart recently learning, at Puerto Rico, that the war has ended. HMS CYANE is purchased into the U.S. Navy and becomes USS CYANE.

  11. TEKS Objectives: §113.24. Social Studies, Grade 8. (5)  History. The student understands the challenges confronted by the government and its leaders in the early years of the Republic. The student is expected to: (A)  describe major domestic problems faced by the leaders of the new Republic such as maintaining national security, creating a stable economic system, setting up the court system, and defining the authority of the central government; (D)  explain the causes of and issues surrounding important events of the War of 1812

  12. Credits: History of service: http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/historyupdate.htm Images: Oldironside1 http://www.pics4learning.com/details.php?img=oldironside28884.jpg oldironside2 http://www.pics4learning.com/details.php?img=oldironside57755.jpg oldironside3 http://www.pics4learning.com/details.php?img=oldironside45294.jpg oldironside4 http://www.pics4learning.com/details.php?img=oldironside19882.jpg oldironside5 http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/theHelm/ship9.jpg

  13. Presentation created by: Christina Hallmark

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