Old Ironsides: Tribute to an American Legend

The U.S. warship the USS Constitution is docked in Boston Harbor. It's the oldest commission warship in the world. The USS Constitution played a key role in the War of 1812. This Public Radio Story describes how the warship Constitution got its nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 as it battled British warships off the U.S. coast.

Story Length: 5:03

Listen to the Story:

SOURCE:

WBUR

AIR DATE: 06/28/2012

Want to hear the story and see the teaching resources?

Access to full library of lessons
Daily current events
Listening comprehension questions
Graphic Organizers

Learn More

Related Lessons

Social Studies • ELL

Final Battle in the War of 1812

Americans remember the War of 1812 as a battle with Britain for the survival of the United States. Less than 30 years after the end of the Revolutionary War, Britain once again tried to takeover the U.S. by allying with Native Americans and Canada. Americans fought for their nation, their freedom, and won. But who was an “American” in the early 1800s? Who fought with the British, and what were they fighting for? How did an American victory spell the beginning of the end of Native American sovereignty?

Social Studies • ELL

Founding Fathers and Slavery

In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson argued that “all men are created equal,” yet during his lifetime he owned over 600 men, women and children. Jefferson wasn’t the only Founding Father who owned slaves and supported slavery. How could men who believed in liberty also believe in slavery? This lesson explores this contradiction, as well as the lives of slaves who made Jefferson’s lifestyle possible.

Social Studies • ELL

The Life of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of America’s most influential founding fathers, but he was much more than that. An author, printer, politician, scientist and diplomat Franklin lived a surprising and fascinating life. Listen to learn more about the path of this great statesman from a being the apprentice to a printer in Philadelphia to an influential scientist and diplomat in Paris.

Social Studies • ELL

Revolutionary War Battles

Recent discoveries on the battlefields of Lexington, Massachusetts have altered our understanding of a Revolutionary War battle. In the Minute Man Park, archaeologists discovered musket balls that will help historians understand exactly where militiamen were standing during the battle. The story describes what these militiamen might be feeling during the fighting. Listen to learn how technology helps us continue to adjust our understanding of history.