Basic Knowledge About Pirates of the Sea
When you think of the word pirate, a picture may come to your mind. You might imagine a ruthless-looking, sea-crusted sailor with leathery brown skin and a black patch covering one eye.
The pirate may be wielding a razor-sharp cutlass and smoking pistol, traveling aboard a sleek wooden ship poised to attack a merchant vessel, in the hopes of seizing the ultimate booty—treasure chests brimming with gold, silver, jewels and untold riches.
This image of pirate is partly true. The term pirate simply means “robber of the sea," someone whose sole purpose in attack and take things from other ships. Most pirates of old did use sharp cutlasses, daggers and pistols, and many wore scarves around their heads.
These barbaric stole hoards of goods from others, including gold, jewelry, money, tools, food, weapons, textiles and supplies. Sometimes they even kept the ships they attacked!
The pirate lifestyle attracted people for many reasons. Some turned to piracy because they wanted a life of adventure and an opportunity to obtain vast riches. Others were former government sailors who traded a life of strict rules and order for the democracy and sense of belonging that many pirate ships offered.
Many were licensed by governments to raid enemy ships. Whatever their reasons for becoming pirates, their lives have fascinated people for hundreds of years.
This image of pirate is partly true. The term pirate simply means “robber of the sea," someone whose sole purpose in attack and take things from other ships. Most pirates of old did use sharp cutlasses, daggers and pistols, and many wore scarves around their heads.
These barbaric stole hoards of goods from others, including gold, jewelry, money, tools, food, weapons, textiles and supplies. Sometimes they even kept the ships they attacked!
The pirate lifestyle attracted people for many reasons. Some turned to piracy because they wanted a life of adventure and an opportunity to obtain vast riches. Others were former government sailors who traded a life of strict rules and order for the democracy and sense of belonging that many pirate ships offered.
Many were licensed by governments to raid enemy ships. Whatever their reasons for becoming pirates, their lives have fascinated people for hundreds of years.
Early Sea Robbers
Pirates have been plundering the seas for thousands of years, dating back to when ships were first built for transporting and trading goods. Even the great ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome were concerned about pirates attacking their ships and stealing valuable goods like wine, wheat, and olive oil.
Over 2,000 years ago, pirates in swift galleys attacked from the many protected small islands that dot the coastline of Greece, waiting in hidden coves for trade ships to pass. They would oar their boats and quickly overcome large and bulky sail-driven merchant ships.
Alexander the Great (356-523 BC), who ruled over Greece, worried about pirate attacks and attempted to clear the pirates from the seas to create safer passages for trade ships. When these early pirates weren't attacking on the Aegean Sea, they went on shore and pillaged small towns and villages along the coast, forcing people to move far inland.
Over 2,000 years ago, pirates in swift galleys attacked from the many protected small islands that dot the coastline of Greece, waiting in hidden coves for trade ships to pass. They would oar their boats and quickly overcome large and bulky sail-driven merchant ships.
Alexander the Great (356-523 BC), who ruled over Greece, worried about pirate attacks and attempted to clear the pirates from the seas to create safer passages for trade ships. When these early pirates weren't attacking on the Aegean Sea, they went on shore and pillaged small towns and villages along the coast, forcing people to move far inland.
Privateers
Privateers were legal pirates who were hired or given a license called a Marque of Letters, by their governments. This license gave them the right to steal from or destroy enemy ships and perform other tasks for the government that employed them. In a way they were good pirates, because they were hired to protect their countries from hostile ones.
France and England were famous for using privateers, ordering them to attack and steal the cargoes of enemy ships. American privateers were used to support the American navy in the War for Independence.
A captain was commissioned, given a Marque, and was expected to recruit and train the crew, then carry out special orders given by the government. The captain and crew of a privateer would receive part of any plundered loot, and the government would keep the rest. In exchange, the hosting government would provide a safe haven for the privateers when they weren't sailing the high seas and attacking the enemy.
Privateers often did not follow the letter of the law, though. They sometimes went far beyond the orders of the government who hired them and did things they had no official right to do, such as attacking and plundering ships that belonged to countries who were not their enemies.
France and England were famous for using privateers, ordering them to attack and steal the cargoes of enemy ships. American privateers were used to support the American navy in the War for Independence.
A captain was commissioned, given a Marque, and was expected to recruit and train the crew, then carry out special orders given by the government. The captain and crew of a privateer would receive part of any plundered loot, and the government would keep the rest. In exchange, the hosting government would provide a safe haven for the privateers when they weren't sailing the high seas and attacking the enemy.
Privateers often did not follow the letter of the law, though. They sometimes went far beyond the orders of the government who hired them and did things they had no official right to do, such as attacking and plundering ships that belonged to countries who were not their enemies.
Buccaneers
When Christopher Columbus and the conquistadors of Spain settled in the Americas (dubbed "The New World"), they found great riches and resources such as gold and silver, much of which was shipped back to Europe.
The Spanish conquered and ruled much of these lands, and they became known as the Spanish Main. The Spanish Main lured pirates and privateers who wanted a piece of the riches that were continually sailing back to Europe from the Americas.
On the island of Hispaniola, in the Caribbean, lived the buccaneers. They were considered a brutal bunch, and it was common for them to treat their prisoners cruelly. Most of the buccaneers were French sailors who had settled there because they were no longer interested in living a life at sea.
Some were former privateers whose licenses had taken away by England's government in an effort to stop the raids in the Spanish Main. Others were escaped slaves and convicts. These men from different backgrounds banded together because the Spanish were trying to drive them off the island of Hispaniola.
At first, the buccaneers could easily attack the Spanish ships, called galleons. The galleons were heavy, well-built wooden ships, most with more than 50 cannons and 200 men to defend them. Galleons sailed quite slowly due to their great size and weight, and the buccaneers would approach in smaller vessels, trying to avoid a direct attack.
After sneaking up on the ship, they would shoot at the hapless crew members with long muskets. Eventually, the Spanish learned to thwart these attacks by sailing in large groups of ships.
Note: On Hispaniola, the buccaneers lived lawlessly as free men, hunting animals like wild pigs and cattle. They dried and cured their meat in BOUCANS, a type of smoke-house. This is the origin of the name “buccaneer.”
The Spanish conquered and ruled much of these lands, and they became known as the Spanish Main. The Spanish Main lured pirates and privateers who wanted a piece of the riches that were continually sailing back to Europe from the Americas.
On the island of Hispaniola, in the Caribbean, lived the buccaneers. They were considered a brutal bunch, and it was common for them to treat their prisoners cruelly. Most of the buccaneers were French sailors who had settled there because they were no longer interested in living a life at sea.
Some were former privateers whose licenses had taken away by England's government in an effort to stop the raids in the Spanish Main. Others were escaped slaves and convicts. These men from different backgrounds banded together because the Spanish were trying to drive them off the island of Hispaniola.
At first, the buccaneers could easily attack the Spanish ships, called galleons. The galleons were heavy, well-built wooden ships, most with more than 50 cannons and 200 men to defend them. Galleons sailed quite slowly due to their great size and weight, and the buccaneers would approach in smaller vessels, trying to avoid a direct attack.
After sneaking up on the ship, they would shoot at the hapless crew members with long muskets. Eventually, the Spanish learned to thwart these attacks by sailing in large groups of ships.
Note: On Hispaniola, the buccaneers lived lawlessly as free men, hunting animals like wild pigs and cattle. They dried and cured their meat in BOUCANS, a type of smoke-house. This is the origin of the name “buccaneer.”
Marooners
Pirates lived by strict rules, or Codes of Conduct that outlined what they could and could not do. A pirate ship was run like a democracy, where majority vote established the rule. When a pirate committed a serious crime, oftentimes he was '”marooned,” or put ashore on a deserted island.
Marooning was a harsh punishment. The unlucky pirate would be left alone on an island far removed from the general population. Sometimes they gave him a bottle of water and a gun with a few bullets, but excluding these few supplies, he was left to survive on only his wits.
His only chance of survival would be to flag down a passing ship; however, legend has it that pirates that were marooned usually died.
Members of the crew weren’t the only ones who were punished this way. Even a captain could be marooned for waging poor attacks, inadequately providing for his crew, or making bad decisions.
The marooners were 17th century pirates who cruised the Atlantic coast of North America, the coast of Africa, and the West Indies, attacking and plundering passing ships. The marooners were a diverse group from many different nations with a common cause—to rob the seas.
Unlike the buccaneers, who attacked Spanish ships and settlements exclusively, the marooners attacked ships from any nation, seeking out cargoes such as grain and tobacco from merchant ships traveling from New England and along the coast.
Marooning was a harsh punishment. The unlucky pirate would be left alone on an island far removed from the general population. Sometimes they gave him a bottle of water and a gun with a few bullets, but excluding these few supplies, he was left to survive on only his wits.
His only chance of survival would be to flag down a passing ship; however, legend has it that pirates that were marooned usually died.
Members of the crew weren’t the only ones who were punished this way. Even a captain could be marooned for waging poor attacks, inadequately providing for his crew, or making bad decisions.
The marooners were 17th century pirates who cruised the Atlantic coast of North America, the coast of Africa, and the West Indies, attacking and plundering passing ships. The marooners were a diverse group from many different nations with a common cause—to rob the seas.
Unlike the buccaneers, who attacked Spanish ships and settlements exclusively, the marooners attacked ships from any nation, seeking out cargoes such as grain and tobacco from merchant ships traveling from New England and along the coast.