USS Kearsarge (1861)

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/uss-kearsarge-1861

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ship class?Mohican-class sloop-of-war
2. What is the commissioned?1861
3. What was the USS Kearsarge?The USS Kearsarge was a fast, strong Union warship built in 1861 to fight Confederate raiders.
4. Why did the Union build the Kearsarge?The Union built it to chase and stop ships like the CSS Alabama that were hurting North trade.

Sloop-of-war: A medium-sized warship, typically armed with cannons, designed for speed and maneuverability in naval warfare.
American Civil War: The conflict fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between the Union and the Confederacy over issues including states' rights and slavery.
Commerce raider: A naval vessel employed to attack and capture enemy merchant ships, disrupting trade and supply lines.
Neutrality: The state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, war, or disagreement.