Pirates and Privateers: The History of Piracy from Ancient Times to Today

*Includes pictures*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further readingThe people who have lived outside the boundaries of normal societies and refused to play by the rules have long fascinated the world, and nowhere is this more evident than the continuing interest in the pirates of centuries past. As the subjects of books, movies, and even theme park rides, people continue to let their imaginations go when it comes to pirates, with buried treasure, parrots, and walking the plank all ingrained in pop culture’s perception of them.The word "pirate" conjures up a romantic image of wild sea-faring rogues, living free on the high seas, and the pirates people usually think of lived during the Golden Age of Piracy, when fighting ships were powered by sail and fights between them were decided with cannons and boarding actions. Indeed, it would be an understatement to say that pop culture’s perception of piracy and pirates has been primarily influenced by Captain Edward Teach, know