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ARTICLES OF PIRACY

Many pirates suffered great abuse as seamen under the tyrannical rule of captains in the merchant service and British Royal navy, so during their adventurous life at sea, pirates wanted to ensure that their rights were protected. They did so by effectively splitting the command between the captain and quartermaster and incorporating a signed set of rules or Articles of Piracy that were agreed upon before the ship set sail.

The articles ensured that all disputes were justly settled, the injured were appropriately compensated, and the booty was distributed by a fair system that provided slightly more for the captain and others in management or skilled positions with equal shares for the rest of the pirate crew.

For example, an article in Black Bart Roberts' Articles of Piracy stated, "The captain and quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the master gunner and boatswain, one and one half shares, all other officers, one and one quarter shares, and private gentlemen of fortune, one share each."

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St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum rated "excellent" by travelers

Employed by the English as a privateer; John Hawkins was considered a pirate and a criminal by the Spanish.

Pirates had workman's comp! Each captain took care of the injured by compensating crewmen for being maimed or losing a limb. And each captain had his own "rates:" loss of right arm, 600 pieces; left arm, 500 pieces; right leg, 500, etc.
The Castillo de San Marcos was built immediately after Captain Robert Searles sacked St. Augustine, Florida in 1668. Sir Francis Drake razed the city 82 years earlier.
"Walking the Plank" is a Hollywood myth. Pirates were more likely to throw men overboard, hang them from the yardarms, or keelhaul them.
Every Pirate Captain established a set of rules called the "Articles." Every member of the crew signed articles of piracy over a boarding axe prior to setting sail - symbolic to the oath the pirate just promised his fellow sailors.

What's You Favorite Pirate Ship Name?

	Adventure Galley
	Queen Anne's Revenge
	Speedy Return
	Golden Hind
	Rising Sun
	Sea King
	Good Fortune

ARTILLERY - CANNON

Naval artillery in the 'age of sail' encompasses the period of roughly 1571-1863: then large, sail-powered wooden naval warships dominated the high seas, mounting a bewildering variety of different types and sizes of cannon as their main armament. By modern standards, these cannon were extremely inefficient, difficult to load, and short ranged. These characteristics, along with the handling and seamanship of the ships that mounted them, defined the environment in which the Naval tactics in the 'age of sail' developed.

ARTICLES OF PIRACY

Though no universal code of conduct was acknowledged by all, many pirate captains established a set of rules with which each crew member was expected to comply while on board.

Many of these social contracts were remarkably democratic for their time and place in the world. As pirates, sailors had an unprecedented level of control of their destiny. In an assault to the traditional command structure at sea, pirate captains allowed the crew to vote in a new captain if a dispute warranted it.

WHITE SHARK

* 2 oz Light Rum
* 1 oz Vodka
* 1 oz Sambuca
* 2 oz Cream of Coconut
* 1 Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
* Blend ingredients with ice until smooth
* Pour into a chilled hurricane glass
* Dust with coconut shavings

Some of the many names for rum are rumbullion, rumbustion, Barbados water, rumscullion, devil's death (or "Kill-Devil"), Nelson's blood, and rumbo. A version of rum from Newfoundland is referred to by the name screech, while some low-grade West Indies rums are called tafia.

Backstay [bak-stey] - A long rope that supports a mast and counters forward pull.

Deadlight [ded-lahyt] - A protective cover fitted over a porthole or window on a ship.

Lee [Lee] - The side of a ship, land mass, or rock that is sheltered from the wind.

Poop [poop] - A short, raised after deck found only on very large sailing ships.

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