Pirates

Who Were Pirates?• Scum of society,

today’s gangsters• Originally honest

sailors, pirating more $ and excitement

• Pirates who attacked ships often gave crews a choice of death, stranding, or join them

• Some pirates were privateers– cheap navy for countries

Pirate Ships

• Most were stolen, few built to be pirate ships• Decks leveled for fighting, more cannons• Fast with skilled crews• Famous ones: Sudden Death, Flying Dragon,

Fortune, Sea King, Flying Dutchman

Life as a Pirate• Captain often elected by crew, often

re-elected due to intimidation, always risk of mutiny

• Captain had own cabin, crew slept on deck or below

• Life could be exciting at times, mostly hard and uncomfortable

• Quartermaster– in charge of all stolen goods, supplies, rum

• Sailing master- in charge of navigation

• Discipline with a whip, arguments decided by 1st blood

• Why eye patches?• Walking plank didn’t happen, often

marooned or just tossed into ocean• Flags used to frighten and deceive,

pirates avoided fights if possible

Famous Pirates• Blackbeard– Edward Teach, sailed

from the Carolinas to Florida, home on Ocracroke

• 6’6, muscular, long black beard with incense, dreadlocks, tan, married 14 times

• Ship was the Queen Anne’s Revenge

• 2 straps across chest, 6 pistols and 6 daggers

• Beat up crew, games to intimidate

• Wounded 25 times, head cut off, legend says his body swam around boat 7 times

• Anne Bonny and Mary Read– female pirates, dressed like men

• Calico Jack– colorful colors, love triangle

• Henry Morgan– Caribbean, army of pirates

• Bartholomew Roberts- Black Bart, didn’t drink, prayer, plundered 400 ships

• Stede Bonnett- rich before, bored with life, incompetent pirate