Frigates

=__FRIGATES__= toc Frigates were medium sized warships that were some of the faster vessels of the time. Frigates were also scouts for fleets and perhaps some of the hardest worked warships of their time. Frigates were mainly patrol ships and filled spaces if ships were lost. In fact, the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. was the frigate the USS Constitution.

In The Beginning
Frigates are known as the workhorses of fleets. Frigates came into existance in the fifteenth century during the 80 years war. It wasn't truly adopted though until the fifteenhundreds. The term "frigate" comes from the Dutch word "frigat" and the Italian word "frigatat". Bioth terms have to do with a sailing vessel. Frigates were armed with as many as sixty cannons and were ready to defend themselves at any time. Frigates were better known as freight ships though.

The U.S.S. Constitution
The Constitution is one of the most important documents in the history of the United states. It is also the name of one of the most famous medium sized warships in US history. The constitution was one of the frigates in the US Navy during the War of 1812. It is famous for being able to outmaneuver five British warships. Also, it is best known for the battle with the H.M.S Guerrere. The ship was also known for always coming out on top in battles. The ship is also known as "Old Ironsides" one of the most maraculous frigates in history.

The Great Chase[[image:http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/uss-constitution-william-h-ravell-iii.jpg width="279" height="208"]]
Less than a month after the war of 1812 had begun, the Constitution was en route to New York when it was attacked by five British warships. The HMS Shannon, the HMS Guerrere, the HMS Africa, the HMS Aeolus, and the HMS Belvidera. They spent 50 hours chasing the Constitution, firing cannon after cannon and not hitting her once. Thanks to the ships captain Isaac Hull, the Constitution and her crew were able to get away from the British ships after a very slow pursuit.

The HMS Guerrere
On August 19, 1812, the USS Constitution was off the coast of Nova Scotia when it came to an encounter with the HMS Guerrere for the second time. Both were some of the most reliable frigates in their navies. The Constitution was outfitted with 55 guns while the Guerrere only had 38. It was one of the Constitutions most famous battles yet it only lasted for one hour. During the battle each ship was trying to outmaneuver the other. Each ship took heavy damage but in the end, the Constitution was victorious and the Guerrere surrendered.

The Constitution After The War
After the War of 1812, the Constitution stayed in service as a warship till 1860 and acted as a training ship till 1881. The ship still lives to this day and is on display at Boston Harbor in Massachusetts. On some special occasions, the ship will still sail into the harbor for demonstrations.

Frigates today
Frigates have been some of the key peices in naval warfare for almost fivehundred years. The ships are still used today. They are used by the many navies across the world. Even the US Navy uses frigates. They are not sailboats as they were years ago. Instead, they are powerful, nuclear vessels with state of the art radar and guns. Frigates are still not the largest ships in the navy but are still some of the most efficient ships of the time.

Refrences
Uss Constitution the history. Naval Reserve office Washington D.C http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/constitution/iron-hist.html

Garraty, John A. The Story of America. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1994

Uss Constitution http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/