Misconceptions about Pirates - mental_floss on YouTube (Ep. 47)

TL;DR

Pirates have been around for longer than the 17th and 18th centuries, they did not have their own accent, they did not bury treasure, and they were more diverse and progressive than commonly believed.

Transcript

hi I'm Ellie this is Mental Floss video today I'm going to talk about some misconceptions about Pirates and destroy all of your dreams Mis conception number one pirates started being a problem in the 17th and 18th centuries this is a common misconception because there were thousands of problematic Pirates between around 1650 and 1720 CE but Pirates... Read More

Key Insights

• ☠️ Pirates were a problem since ancient times, not just in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• ☠️ Pirates did not have their own accents or slang words, contrary to popular belief.
• 🤑 Pirates did not commonly bury their treasure, as it was more practical to hold onto their riches.
• ☠️ Pirate crews were more diverse and progressive than commonly believed, with same-sex marriages and inclusion of slaves.
• ☠️ The majority of pirates were in their 20s, likely because younger individuals were more likely to turn to piracy.
• 🚤 Pirate ships varied in size, with many being fairly small for speed and accessibility to shallow waters.
• 😃 Pirates wearing eye patches may have been due to adjusting their eyes to the dark areas of the ship.
• ☠️ Pirate ships often had codes and rules to maintain order and discipline.
• ☠️ The depiction of pirates forcing prisoners to walk the plank was rare, and the fate of prisoners was often decided democratically.

Questions & Answers

Q: Were pirates only a problem in the 17th and 18th centuries?

No, piracy has been a problem since ancient times, with evidence of pirates in the 14th century BCE in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.

Q: Did pirates have their own accents and slang words?

No, experts believe that pirates talked like any other English sailor of the 17th century and did not have their own distinct accents or slang words.

Q: Did pirates bury their treasure?

While the idea of buried pirate treasure is popular in fiction, most pirates did not bury their riches. Some exceptions, such as William Kid who buried treasure in Long Island, New York, exist but are rare.

Q: Were pirates old-fashioned and barbaric?

Many pirate crews were quite progressive for their time. They practiced "mate lates," which were same-sex marriages, and included freed and runaway slaves in their crews.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Pirates have been a problem since ancient times, with evidence of piracy in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas during the 14th century BCE.

• Contrary to popular belief, pirates did not have their own accents and slang words, and talked like any other English sailor.

• While buried treasure is a common trope in pirate mythology, most pirates held on to their riches instead of burying them.