ANG 5435 Underwater Archaeology Final Exam Study Guide
1. Bateau: The French word for boat. These were small, flat bottomed boats that were popular
during the fur trade and in rivers and small bodies of water. Usually paddled or pushed along
by a pole. These were the passenger/cargo vessels of their day.
2. USS Constitution: Nicknamed “Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution is a US Navy ship that
gained fame during the War of 1812. The USS Constitution was a three-masted, frigate that
gained its nickname from its solid construction whereby cannon balls literally bounced off of
the hull during battle. It is currently the oldest commissioned naval ship in the world.
3. Dreadnought: A type of ship named after the first ship of its kind, the HMS Dreadnought. It
was considered the first battleship, had uniform gun batteries, and steam turbines. It
completely revolutionized naval warfare and made its predecessors obsolete.
4. Indiaman: Type of merchant ship that operated under charter from any of the East India
Companies. The English and Dutch were the two most powerful companies. They traveled
around the tip of Africa and east to India and China for trade goods. The ships were usually
150 to 175 feet in length with three masts with square sails. These ships fast and heavily
armed to defend themselves from pirates. The Indiaman ships were a significant force in
promoting globalism and colonialism.
5. Ironclad: A type of warship that had a wooden hull with iron plating attached to it. The
French Navy was the first to launch an ironclad in 1859, and ironclads were first used in
combat during the US Civil War. John Buchanan Eads designed and built the City-class
ironclads which included the USS Cairo. The first battle between ironclads was between the
CSS Merrimack and the USS Monitor. Ironclad ships led to the development of iron hulled
ships.
6. Lateen Sail: A triangular, fore and aft oriented sail that originated in the Mediterranean and
was the dominate rig there until around the 14th century. Lateen rig is generally more
maneuverable better for tacking into the wind. It is still used today on small sailing vessels.
7. SS Savannah: The first steamship to cross the Atlantic. It used a combination of sails and
steam with side wheels. The voyage from Savannah Harbor to Liverpool, England lasted 28
days and 11 hours. Steam driven ships were still very explodey at the time, and the successful
crossing helped to build confidence in steam.
8. U-boat: The term U-boat was used by the German Navy for their submarines during WWI
and WWII. AKA, submarines, are vessels capable of submerging and operating underwater
for varying lengths of time and returning to the surface. They are usually manned and
primarily used for military, research, and industrial uses (i.e. petroleum industry and
undersea cable repair). Early examples include the Tortuga and the H.L. Hunley.
9. Caravel: These were lateen rigged Iberian vessels with one or two masts that were developed
in the 12th century. They had a high beam to length ration and were fast and maneuverable.
They were used for trade by the Spanish and primarily for fishing by the Portuguese.
ANG 5435 Underwater Archaeology Final Exam Study Guide
Caravels led to the development of Naus (carrack) which was an important ship in trade and
exploration.
10. Galley: A type of ship that was propelled by lateen sail and oars (primary propulsion) that
was used in the Mediterranean. Galleys were typically long and narrow. They were steered
by two lateral rudders called timones off of the stern. Their speed made them profitable to
carry out commerce during the 12th and 13th centuries. During the crusades, they were very
large and used to transport crusaders, horses, and their attendants.