Sultana/Colonial History

Before the days of electricity and refrigeration food had to be preserved and well-suited to transportation for months-long voyages across the ocean.  These are some of the staples of an …

SULTANA is steered not by a wheel, but with a tiller.  This device can manipulate the tiller from port to starboard allowing the vessel to maneuver.   Printables: Additional Links: …

King George responded to the unrest in the Colonies, including the Boston Tea Party, by landing garrisons of British troops in the Boston Harbor.  We know from her logs, that …

The tensions between the colonists and the British troops came to a head in events that became known as the Boston Massacre, an event whose dramatic retelling helped galvanize support …

Prior to the American Revolution, the schooner SULTANA patrolled the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay ensuring that colonial ships had paid taxes on their cargo.    Printables: Additional Links: Here …

One of the best-known political cartoons of the 18th century illustrates the colonists’ displeasure at paying taxes.  In this depiction several businessmen can be seen tarring an feathering a British …

Examine what life was like black sailors, both free and enslaved, in the 18th century.  One of the crew listed in SULTANA’s muster book is Prince Gould, a 45-year old …

The Triangle Trade network between Europe, Africa, South America, and North America moved people and goods between countries so that any time a ship was moving between ports she was …

In order to calculate a ship’s position in the ocean it was important to take occasional measurements of her sailing speed.  A chip log was used to record, in knots, …

When navigating waterways with unknown depths a lead line was used to quickly give measurements in order to keep the vessel from running aground.   Printables: Additional Links: An explanation …