Interpreting Constitution
January 15-April 9, 2019
Thank you for your patience as we update this page for upcoming training period.
Essential Resources
Course Syllabus, Interpreting Constitution, 2019
Interpreting Old Ironsides: An Illustrated Guide to USS Constitution
Charles E. Brodine, Michael J. Crawford, and Christine F. Hughes (Naval Historical Center)
Men of Iron: USS Constitution’s War of 1812 Crew Matthew Brenckle, Lauren McCormack and Sarah Watkins (USS Constitution Museum)
Against All Odds: U.S. Sailors in the War of 1812 Charles E. Brodine, Jr., Michael J. Crawford, Christine F. Hughes
200 Years of Change: An Illustrated Tour Handout
USS Constitution Museum Website www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org
January 15, 2019
Week 1: Welcome and Understanding Our Audiences
Starting Location: USS Constitution Museum Theater & Education Center
Topics: Introductions; Audience Engagement
Resources:
USS Constitution Museum (2015). Engage Families – Relevancy
Hawkins, B. L. (2016, May 31). “Five Opportunities to Take a House Tour from ‘Meh’ to Great”
The Engaging Educator – Public Speaking playlist
January 22, 2019
Week 2: The Need for a Navy and U.S. trade after the Revolution
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Museum Theater
Port Watch Starting Location: Museum Theater
Topics: From the Freedom Trail to USS Constitution; Global Trade Program; Revolutionary War vessels and Navy frigates
Resources:
“Timeline for the Creation of the Navy”. USS Constitution Museum (pdf)
Brodine, C. E., Crawford, M. J., & Hughes, C. F. (2007). “Re-establishment of the Navy” in Interpreting Old Ironsides: An Illustrated Guide to USS Constitution (pp. 3-4). Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center.
Taylor, A. (2013) “From the American Revolution to the War of 1812” in The War of 1812 (pp. 16-27). The National Park Service. Virginia: Donning Company Publishing.
January 29, 2019
Week 3: Design, Construction, and Launching USS Constitution
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Museum Education Center
Port Watch Starting Location: Spar Deck
Topics: Ship design challenge; Spar Deck interpretation; Launching USS Constitution
Resources:
USS Constitution Museum. (2013 November 6) – Birch and Oak.
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 Dec. 12) Should her ways have better laid
NHHC Detachment Boston/USS Constitution Museum. (2016 September 9) Keel Hauled
USS Constitution Museum. (2013 Oct. 16) Madeira Mystery.
February 5, 2019
Week 4: Maneuvering Under Sail
Port Watch Starting Location: Education Center
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Spar Deck
Topics: 200 years of change on the spar deck; Maneuvering under sail
Resources:
Lavery, B. (2012) “Masts, Sails, and Rigging” in Nelson’s Navy: The Ships, Men, and Organization, 1793-1815 (pp. 73-79). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press.
Harland, J. (2016) “Chapter 11: Steering” in Seamanship in the Age of Sail (pp. 175-177).
Lavery, B. (1988) “Part II: Anchors and Capstans” in The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War, 1600-1815.
USS Constitution Museum. (2016 July 19). Canvasing the Navy
NHHC Detachment Boston/USS Constitution Museum. (2016 July 29). Suit of Sails.
NHHC Detachment Boston/USS Constitution Museum. (2016, October 6). Ropemakers for the Navy: Part I.
NHHC Detachment Boston/USS Constitution Museum. (2016, October 21). Ropemakers for the Navy: Part II.
February 12, 2019
Week 5: Java Battle and the human costs of naval war
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Museum Lobby
Port Watch Starting Location: Gun Deck
Topics: Gun deck interpretation: Raking, battle maneuvers, and the impact of gunnery; Naval armament discussion; Human Cost of War exhibit.
Resources:
Brenckle, M., McCormack, L., & Watkins, S. (2012) Men of Iron: USS Constitution’s War of 1812 Crew. “Chapter 5: Returning Home” (pp. 46-55).
USS Constitution Museum. (2010). War of 1812 Overview.
Charles Waldo battle plan USSC vs. Java – USS Constitution Museum Collections
Brenckle, M., McCormack, L., Watkins, S. (2012) “Forging a Fighting Team”, “Testing the Crew in Battle” in Men of Iron: USS Constitution’s War of 1812 Crew. (pp. 33-45)
Desy, M. M. (2016). The Armament of USS Constitution, 18th – 21st Century. Naval History and Heritage Command Detachment Boston.
USS Constitution Museum. (2015, November 12). Constitution’s Guns: A Snapshot.
USS Constitution Museum. (2015, April 30). Carronades for the Tops: A New Interpretation.
Constitution’s Guns: Today vs. 1812 (pdf)
Marshall, G. (1822). Marshall’s Practical Marine Gunnery: Containing A View Of The Magnitude, Weight, Description & Use, Of Every Article Used In The Sea Gunner’s Department, In The Navy Of
Age Of Sails. (2013, June 6). HMS Victory Broadside! video
Llaneza, Michael. (2007, March 26). USS Niagara Live Fire Demonstration video.
February 19, 2019
Week 6: Cyane and Levant
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Hull room
Port Watch Starting Location: Gun Deck
Topics: Prize money and prisoners of war; Sailing against two ships; Mid-term course evaluation
Resources:
Petrie, Donald A. The Prize Game, Ch. 2, pp. 42-46.
Smith, Moses. Naval Scenes in the Last War…, Ch. VIII, description of Guerriere crew slipping shackles & attempting to take USSC
4th Auditor’s Settled Accounts, War of 1812 – Constitution outfitting lists detailing numbers of iron leg shackles and hand cuffs for prisoners (and any USSC crew that required confinement during a cruise)
Humphreys, Assheton. The Constitution’s Finest Fight, 1815: The Journal of Acting Chaplain Assheton Humphreys, US Navy, ed. by Tyrone G. Martin. Pages 30-31.
[Courtesy U.S. Navy]
February 25, 2019
Week 7: The Lakes Battles: Understanding the broader War of 1812
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Museum Education Center
Port Watch Starting Location: Gun Deck
Topics: Geography of the Lakes and land battles; Squadron battles vs frigate duels; Gun deck interpretation.
Resources:
Brodine, C. E., Crawford, M. J., & Hughes, C. F. (2007). “War of 1812: The Navy Department”, “War of 1812: Overview of the U.S. Fleet”, “War of 1812: U.S. Naval Operations”, and “War of 1812: The Royal Navy” in Interpreting Old Ironsides: An Illustrated Guide to USS Constitution. (pp. 40-50). Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center.
USS Constitution Museum. (2010). War of 1812 Overview.
Lowell, J. (1812). Mr. Madison’s War.
Anonymous. (1812). The First Book of Remarkable Events of the Present American War.
Rybka, Walter P. (2012) The Lake Erie Campaign of 1813.
March 5, 2019
Week 8: The World of Command
Starboard Watch Starting Location: USS Constitution Museum
Port Watch Starting Location: Gun Deck
Topics: Objects of Command; Captain’s quarters; Wardroom
Resources:
McKee, Christopher. A Gentlemanly and Honorable Profession. Ch. 2, “A Ranked Society”.(pdf)
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 February 28) – All the Comforts of Home.
USS Constitution Museum. (2015 October 29) – Tumbler Home.
March 12, 2019
Week 9: Food and Messing aboard ship
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Hold
Port Watch Starting Location: Gun Deck
Today’s Topics: Provisioning and water; Constitution‘s camboose; Messing and food
Resources:
USS Constitution Museum. (2016 May 4) Sick Bay: Where Away?
USS Constitution Museum. (2015 March 5) Whitewashing Constitution
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 July 16) Some Notes on Navy Biscuits
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 April 25) Water, water, everywhere
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 February 13) Hot Stuff: Chocolate and the U.S. Navy
MacDonald, J. (2014). “Chapter 6 “What Other Navies Ate” in Feeding Nelson’s Navy: The True Story of Food at Sea in the Georgian Era. (pp. 140-143). Yorkshire, England: Frontline Books.
March 19, 2019
Week 10: The U.S. Sailor and U.S. Marine in 1812
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Education Center
Port Watch Starting Location: Berth Deck
Today’s Topics: Life aboard the berth deck; History tells a story
Resources:
Brenckle, M., McCormack, L., & Watkins, S. (2012) Men of Iron: USS Constitution’s War of 1812 Crew. Chapter 1: Recruiting a Crew” (pp. 2-14), “Chapter 2: Joining a Seafaring Community” (pp. 15-32). USS Constitution Museum, Boston, MA.
MCormack, L., Rand, A., Gallas, C., (2006) “I never had any better fighters”: Black Sailors in the United States Navy during the War of 1812″ in Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Power in Maritime America.
Crawford, M. J., Officers of Peculiar Skill: Petty and Forward Officers of the U.S. Navy, 1797-1860. NHHC, Washington, D.C.
National Park Service. The War of 1812. “Fighting for Freedom: Africa American’s and the War of 1812,” Gene Allen Smith.
USS Constitution Museum. (2015 December 16) – Red Flannel Forever.
USS Constitution Museum. (2013 November 1) – Pea Jackets.
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 November 18) – Frock On!
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 February 7) – Slip-shod: The Truth About Early Navy Shoes.
March 26, 2019
Week 11: Constitution‘s Legacy and Role
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Education Center
Port Watch Starting Location: Berth Deck
Today’s Topics: 1812 uniforms; Building a tour; Constitution as a symbol
Resources:
Oliver Wendell Holmes’ poem, “Old Ironsides”
April 2, 2019
Week 12: USS Cassin Young & the Charlestown Navy Yard
Starboard Watch Starting Location: Charlestown Navy Yard
Port Watch Starting Location: USS Cassin Young
Today’s Topics: Tour of USS Cassin Young; History of the Charlestown Navy Yard;
Resources:
National Park Service/USS Constitution Museum. (2016 February 29) Visiting USS Constitution in the Navy Yard Through Time
USS Constitution Museum. (2014 July 11) Sightings: Constitution in the Charlestown Navy Yard
National Park Service. USS Cassin Young
USS CONSTITUTION MUSEUM | Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22, Charlestown, MA 02129 | 6174261812
