Pirates!

Aims

This course aims to:

• provide knowledge of the “golden age” of piracy and the people involved
• give an understanding of the linkage between piracy and empire
• provide an understanding of the financial and other motivations for piracy

Content

We begin the course by focusing on England and the “Pirate Queen”, Queen Elizabeth I. We will look at the role of Sir John Hawkins in developing a predatory trade between the West African coast and the West Indies before we look at the activities of the “master pirate of the whole world” Sir Francis Drake. Heralded in England as a national hero; views of him elsewhere differ significantly.

We will then move forward to look at the rise of legal pirates, privateers, although, once again, the legality is in the eye of the beholder rather than any agreed international definition. We will consider people such as Henry Morgan, who rose quickly through the ranks before attaining the position of “Leader of the Brethren” and leading one of the biggest parties of seaboard raiders in the late 17th century.

As we enter the early 18th century, we move from the veneer of respectability to outright villainy. At this time, we are introduced to many of the names that have resonated through the ages, such as Blackbeard, Black Bart Roberts, and Black Sam Bellamy; pirates who were plying their trade in the Caribbean and beyond. We will end our examination of this era by examining the lives and activities of Anne Bonny and Mary Read and the improbable but true story of their meeting on board a ship in the West Indies. 

We will also examine what drove sailors to become pirates and what drove their activities once in the brotherhood, before turning our attention to life on board an 18th-century sailing ship. What was life like in this wooden world? Where did they sleep? How did they survive the cramped conditions? What technology did they utilise to capture their prey?

In the week's final class, we will move away from history and look at how pirates have invaded our minds through literature and popular culture by examining works ranging from J M Barrie, through Arthur Conan Doyle to the Muppets.

Presentation of the course 

The course will be taught by PowerPoint presentation, including a wide range of audio-visual sources with time for discussion and debate.

Course sessions

1. Pirate Queen 
   An examination of Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake.
2. Buccaneers 
   Investigating Edward Morgan and friends. 
3. Hostis humani generis (enemies of mankind) 
   Investigating Blackbeard, Anne Boony and others.
4. Life on board 
   Life on an 18th-century sailing ship and pirate’s weapons.
5. Literature and popular culture 
   We love pirates, but why?

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course. 

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• to gain a knowledge of the “golden age” of piracy and the people involved
• to gain an understanding of the linkage between piracy and empire
• to gain an understanding of the financial and other motivations for piracy

Required reading

There are no compulsory readings for this course. 

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.