Talk Like a Pirate Day

Any chump can go to a party dressed like a pirate, quoting Jack Sparrow or Long John Silver (or Yellowbeard, for the die-hards). But how about throwing in a genuine pirate quote? Here you'll find historical pirate quotes, spoken by actual pirates back in the day. My favorite: these last words from a soon-to-be-hanged scallywag, when asked if he was sorry for what he had done: "Yes, I do heartily repent. I repent I had not done more mischief; and that we did not cut the throats of them that took us, and I am extremely sorry that you aren't hanged as well as we."

He’s the most famous pirate in history for good reason: Blackbeard was a ruthless pirate captain who struck terror into the hearts of sailors for two bloody years all across the Atlantic Ocean. But how much do you really know about him? Here’s a simple quiz: what was his real name? If you don’t know, find out along with nine other great Blackbeard facts!

A pirate ship was more organized than you might think. Pirates serving on board didn’t simply lounge in hammocks, drink rum and teach their parrots to swear all day! Pirates elected their own officers, including the captain. What were the pirate officers, and what did they do?

Sure, you know a pirate flag when you see it – it’s something gruesome on a black background. But whose flag is it? The one you see most often today belonged to “Calico Jack” Rackham, but he wasn’t the only pirate terrorizing the seven seas. Blackbeard, “Black Bart” Roberts, Stede Bonnet and others each had their own flag, personally designed and meant to strike terror into their victims and enemies. Learn more about pirate flags, and who each one belonged to!

Most of the vicious pirates sailing the seven seas were men, but the exceptions are quite noteworthy. Anne Bonny and Mary Read were the most ruthless and deadly pirates in the crew of the dreaded “Calico Jack” Rackham. Who were these pirate wenches and why did they pick up a cutlass and take to the seas?

Only one of the historical pirates is today more famous as a rum salesman than a buccaneer: Captain Morgan! Long before he got into the rum business (like three hundred years before), Captain Henry Morgan was the scourge of Spanish America. His three legendary raids on the Spanish Main earned him and his desperate band of buccaneers great booty and glory. Learn about the REAL Captain Morgan!

Sure, they were basically thugs with a boat. Yes, many of the mutinied off of merchant or navy vessels and they could be ruthless in their pursuit of treasure. But the pirates weren’t all bad! Maybe you’ve heard of the “pirate code” from the movies – it was a real thing! What was the pirate code and how did it apply to the pirates on any given ship?

If all you knew about pirates came from the movies, you could be forgiven for thinking that they spent their days chasing Aztec treasure, fighting hordes of the undead and trying to clear their good names. The truth is…well…a little different. Separating pirate fact from myth can be difficult, but here’s a good place to start!