American Ships of the Colonial and Revolutionary Periods

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This book attempts to show what is known about American ships--ships designed by, built by, or owned by Americans--before the Federal period. An introductory chapter explains basic features common to all ships of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, including design, construction, rigs, and purposes for which they were built. The rest of the book is devoted to the specifics of over 150 ships of all sizes, giving an account of the history and significance of each ship, as well as plans of each hull, in some cases accompanied by sketches based on eyewitness portraits of the original ships.