Which ship is known as "Old Ironsides?"

Launched in 1797, The USS Constitution is the oldest active ship in the US Navy. She's depicted in the above picture, in the single ship battle, USS Constitution v HMS Guerriere. This battle, on August 19, 1812, saw the USS Constitution victorious.

During the battle, the Constitution earned the nickname, "Old Ironsides,", when cannonballs bounced off the hull. This was due to superior construction techniques. While a minor victory, considering that the vastly superior British navy had 600 ships, it was a tremendous boost to American morale. American trade had suffered tremendously from the British.

The HMS Guerriere, based out of Nova Scotia, had been a main perpetrator of this humiliation. She had preyed widely on American merchant ships, which include impressing American seamen to serve in the British navy. The defeat and capture of the Guerriere saw the release of ten impressed Americans. The fact that the HMS Guerriere was outgunned and outmanned, as well as the Constitution's superior construction, was glossed over.

But even with these disadvantages, the British held the hubris that they would easily defeat the American frigate for a valid reason. The British navy was second to none and had won previous victories under such disadvantages. The USS Constitution is berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. She holds the distinction of being the only active American Navy ship to have sunk an enemy vessel.