11 Facts About Pirates

1. Although it is believed the origins of pirates began in Egypt during the in the 15th century, the majority of pirating occurred between 1690 and 1720.

2. The Jolly Roger Flag, a black flag with a white skull and crossbones was designed to ward off other ships and scare people into surrendering without a battle.

3. Pirates always stole their ships rather than buying them, as this prevented them from being caught and jailed by authorities.

4. A master carpenter was an essential pirate crew member, as most ships needed to be renovated after being stolen to accommodate the entire pirate crew and the weight of the heavy cannons.

5. Pirates ran their ship under a democratic system which involved voting on where the ship would sail or future missions.

6. 'Walking the plank'  was a pirate method of execution in which traitors and captives were bound and walked off a plank to their death. This form of execution ensured the captive would drown unable to swim or tread water.

7. Pirates believed that whistling into the wind meant to challenge to the sound of the wind, which is why whistling on a ship is believed to be bad luck and to cause stormy weather, hence the saying 'to whistle up a storm’.
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8. Women were forbidden aboard pirate ships as they were also believed to cause bad luck and fighting among men, however, many pirate ships were rumoured to carry women and females disguised as male pirates.

9. Sailors and ships afraid to encounter pirates often joined convoys of ships as pirates only attacked ships that were sailing alone.

10. If a pirate ship was under attack, the pirate captains would immediately change out of their expensive clothes and dress as members of the crew to decrease the chances of being captured.

11. Pirates would create safe havens for themselves and fellow pirates by taking over island ports such as in the Caribbean.