Hero Stories from American History Part 32

54. What did many of the people throughout the country think of the Const.i.tution?

55. Which was the first state to sign the Const.i.tution?

56. Why was the Fourth of July in 1788 so glorious?

57. Who was the first President, and who the first Vice President, of the new nation?

58. What did Gladstone say of the Const.i.tution?

59. Why do we owe such a debt of grat.i.tude to the builders of "the good s.h.i.+p Const.i.tution"?

CHAPTER XI, PAGE 156 A DARING EXPLOIT

1. Who were the Barbary pirates?

2. Why did we buy the good will of the Barbary pirates?

3. What is blackmail? (Consult a large dictionary.)

4. What did Thomas Jefferson think should be done concerning the Barbary pirates?

5. Who was sent to the Mediterranean Sea?

6. What was the exploit of the Enterprise?

7. What is a pasha? (Consult a large dictionary.)

8. What happened to the frigate Philadelphia and her crew?

9. What did Commodore Preble do when the Philadelphia was captured?

10. Why was Stephen Decatur chosen to destroy the Philadelphia?

11. What was Decatur's plan for destroying the Philadelphia?

12. What is a ketch? (Consult a large dictionary.)

13. How many men volunteered for the dangerous undertaking?

14. What kind of time did Decatur and his men have off the sh.o.r.e of Tripoli?

15. What happened to the Siren?

16. How was the Philadelphia guarded?

17. What was the object in dragging sails and buckets in the water?

18. How did Decatur deceive the pirate officer?

19. How did the pirates discover the Americans?

20. What kind of fighters were the Tripolitan pirates said to be?

21. How long did the fight on board the Philadelphia last?

22. How many of Decatur's men were injured?

23. What did the Americans do with the Philadelphia?

24. Why were the Americans obliged to burn the Philadelphia? (Read earlier in this chapter.)

25. How successful were the pirates in firing at the Americans?

26. What did the sailors say afterwards about the burning s.h.i.+p?

27. Why was it the Americans were so successful in burning the Philadelphia?

28. What did Nelson say of Decatur's deed?

29. What promotion did Decatur receive?

CHAPTER XII, PAGE 169 "OLD IRONSIDES"

1. What did the Secretary of the Navy in 1833 intend to do with the Const.i.tution?

2. Why did Congress decide to rebuild the Const.i.tution?

3. What troubles did we have with other nations during the first twenty-five years of our national life?

4. Why was Was.h.i.+ngton instructed to add six war s.h.i.+ps to our navy?

5. Where was the Const.i.tution built?

6. How does the Const.i.tution compare in size with our modern war s.h.i.+ps?

7. Why did England model some of her s.h.i.+ps after "Old Ironsides"?

8. When was the Const.i.tution launched?

9. What success did the Const.i.tution have in fighting with Tripoli?

10. How did Commodore Preble treat Decatur after his capture of the Tripolitan gunboats?

11. How did Captain Isaac Hull get away from the British fleet?

12. How did Captain Hull win a hat from Captain Dacres?