Sea History for Kids

USS Constitution

Cutters and Frigates

Both vessels pictured at the top of the page are cutters in the US Coast Guard, while both of the US Navy ships pictured at the bottom are frigates. How…

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abalone rest on a rock

Abalone

By Richard J. King For the haenyeo, the traditional female divers of Korea’s Jeju Island, the abalone is not only a prized source of food and security, but is also…

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photographer

Freelance Photographer

Daniel Forster is a freelance photographer who specializes in marine and sailing photography. As a freelancer, he is self-employed and often supplements his marine photography with work as an architecture,…

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Casks

Vessels, Casks, and Containers

Vessels Within Vessels Have you ever found a message in a bottle? For centuries, people have transported items on the seas. Messages in bottles are usually sent for fun. Most…

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Did You Know?

Powder Monkey

The Age of Sail was said to be the domain of “wooden ships and iron men,” but sailing ships also had boys on their official crew lists.

Today, you have to be 14 years old before you can get a job in most states in the US, but in the Age of Sail both merchant ships and navy vessels signed on boys as young as seven years old as regular members of the crew.

What were these kids doing on board sailing ships?

Learn more at Kids as Crew