Pirate Facts for Kids

Blackbeard, whose real name was likely Edward Teach, didn't sail a rickety raft. He took over a massive French slave ship called La Concorde and renamed it Queen Anne’s Revenge.

He upgraded the ship, adding more than a dozen extra cannons to the existing armament, bringing the total to 40 guns! That’s like having 40 fire-breathing dragons lined up on one side of your ship!

This massive ship weighed about 300 tons, making it a terrifying sight for any merchant vessel crossing the Caribbean.

Flying the skull and crossbones was a high-risk, high-reward move. It was a direct threat!

If a victim saw the Jolly Roger from far away, they might fight. So, pirates would fly 'false colours'—the flag of a nation they were at peace with—to get super close first.

They only raised their true pirate flag when they were right on top of the target, giving the other crew almost no time to prepare for a real fight!

Even though they were called lawless, pirate crews followed super strict Articles of Agreement, or codes, to keep order!

One famous rule, like the one from Bartholomew Roberts, stated: 'No striking one another on board'.

If two pirates fought, the Quartermaster would take them to shore, set them back-to-back, and they’d have to duel with sword and pistol until someone drew first blood. Talk about an intense disagreement!

Pirates have existed for thousands of years—even the ancient Greeks had them—but the time we usually think of as the 'Golden Age' was much shorter.

This peak time for famous pirates, fueled by New World trade, lasted roughly from 1650 to 1730.

During that time, historians estimate that more than 5,000 pirates might have been at sea at one point. That's enough for 100 massive pirate ships like Blackbeard’s!

While we picture a white skull on black, the term 'Jolly Roger' was used for any pirate flag.

Some pirates flew a red flag—sometimes called the 'bloody flag'—which was a terrifying signal that they would show no quarter (no mercy) if the target resisted.

Blackbeard himself flew a flag with a skeleton holding an hourglass and spear over a bleeding heart, not just a skull!

Pirates didn't have kings or bosses to take most of the money. Their codes ensured a surprisingly fair division of plunder.

For example, an officer might get one-and-a-half shares, while an ordinary sailor got one whole share.

Even the lowest crew members, like boys who lit the warning fires, got half a share. Now that's teamwork for treasure!

Pirate codes were also like an early insurance policy for getting hurt while plundering valuable goods.

If a pirate lost their right arm, the code might promise them 600 pesos from the common stock. Losing the left arm was usually 500 pesos.

These payouts were a huge deal because they were guaranteed money, unlike the uncertain treasure shares!

Being a pirate was dangerous! The risk of being captured, tried, and publicly hanged was extremely high.

Studies suggest the average pirate only lasted about two years in the career before dying by execution, illness, or injury.

A few lucky ones retired, like Henry Morgan, who lived to be 53, but most famous names like Blackbeard died around age 38.

After blockading a major port and doing a lot of raiding, Blackbeard’s flagship adventure came to a sudden, sandy end.

He ran the 40-gun vessel aground on a sandbar near Beaufort, North Carolina, on June 10, 1718.

For over 280 years, the wreck was lost until it was discovered near Beaufort Inlet in 1996! You can still see parts of the amazing wreck today!

Want to know the biggest secret? Most pirates didn't bury their loot! They spent it quickly on fun, food, and supplies.

The famous story of Captain Kidd burying treasure is one of the few maybe true ones, but the idea was cemented by the book Treasure Island, written in 1883.

Real pirates usually divided whatever they stole right away according to their code, because they knew their time at sea was short!