It’s another hot day in the Caribbean You’ve been at sea for weeks You’ve eaten nothing but spoiled meat and bug-infested crackers You sleep alongside many other men below deck But you don’t mind the tough conditions You have more freedom on this ship than you would on shore You trust your captain You even helped elect him Someday you might be captain of your own ship But that day is a long way off Suddenly a fellow crewmember spots a merchant ship The captain gives the order to follow the ship and hoist the Jolly Roger the ship’s flag The black skull-and-crossbones flag flies in the breeze The merchant ship tries to turn around But you know the ship is no match for your swift vessel If you’re lucky your crew will capture the ship without a fight You know most of the merchant ship crew won’t be willing to die to protect their cargo Some might even join your crew However if you do need to fight you are ready You are well-armed and surrounded by some of the fiercest fighters on the Caribbean Sea You are a pirate 5
CHAPTER 1 Who Were Pirates Pirates were outlaws who traveled by ship to attack other ships crews and settlements Pirates didn’t sail for any specific government or country Instead pirate crews were made of individuals who were out to get rich themselves Pirates attacked merchant ships stole these ships and their goods and shared the profits amongst themselves Pirates followed the command of a captain But pirate captains were only successful when they had the support of their crew Pirate ships were democracies and everyone had a say Piracy has likely been around since ancient times or as long as ships have been transporting goods The first recorded acts of piracy occurred in the Mediterranean Sea more than 3,000 years ago Pirates still operate in In the Golden Age of Piracy pirates faced battles storms disease and poverty on the high seas 6
NORTH AMERICA GULF OF MEXICO THE CARIBBEAN DURING THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIRACY BAHAMAS NEW PROVIDENCE NASSAU CUBA NEW SPAIN MEXICO HISPANIOLA PUERTO RICO JAMAICA CARIBBEAN SEA HONDURAS CENTRAL AMERICA SOUTH SEA PACIFIC OCEAN PANAMA CITY PANAMA NEW GRANADA SOUTH AMERICA FEATURED AREA LESSER ANTILLES ATLANTIC OCEAN some regions today But the most famous era of piracy took place in the Caribbean Sea from the mid-1600s to the early 1700s This period is known as the Golden Age of Piracy During this time trade flourished between North America South America Europe and Africa The Caribbean Sea and surrounding waters were thick with pirates These ocean outlaws were ready to prey on ships loaded with riches 7
