Blackbeard Was The Most Feared Pirate Of All.

Talk Like a Pirate Day sails away annually on September 19th.

All you bilge rats, Aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgh! As you are out and about on September 19th, don’t be surprised if people are saying, “Ahoy Matie,” “Avast,” “Aye, Aye Capt’n,” “Land ho!” “Hornpipe,” and many other pirate-like phrases, because it’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day.  [See “Pirate” words below] 

• 75 BC – Julius Caesar was once kidnapped and briefly held by pirates and held prisoner. When the pirates asked for a ransom of 20 talents ($600,000 in today’s money), he scoffed at them and demanded they ask for 50 talents.
• 2nd Century – The earliest recorded pirate attacks begin after China’s Han Dynasty falls
• 1241 – In 1241, an English pirate named William Maurice was the first person known to have been hanged, drawn, and quartered, indicating the severity with which then-King Henry III viewed the crime of piracy.
• 14th Century – The earliest documented instance of piracy was in the 14th century BC, when the Sea Peoples, a group of ocean raiders, attacked the ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean civilizations.
• 1600s – William Kidd, Captain Kidd, (c. 1645-1701) was a Scottish privateer turned pirate who, despite only ever capturing one significant prize ship, has become legendary thanks to the persistent rumor he buried a fantastic treasure that nobody has yet found.
• 1640 – The increase in maritime trade and travel between Europe, the Americas, and Africa provide ample opportunities for Caribbean pirates.
• 1700s – Blackbeard was the most feared pirate of all. Blackbeard (AKA Edward Teach) was known as the most terrifying pirate in the world. Before capturing a ship he would weave hemp into his beard and light it on fire—an intimidation tactic that made him look demonic.
• 1800s – Female pirate Ching Chih commands a fleet of 1,800 ships and between 40,000 to 80,000 pirates.
• 1950 – September 19th marks the annual Talk Like a Pirate Day. Many of the phrases originated from the 1950 Disney film Treasure Island, starring Robert Newton as Long John Silver, which was based off the 1883 novel of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson.
• 2002 – Pulitzer prize-winning humorist Dave Barry is responsible for popularizing the holiday.  Dave Barry was so smitten with the holiday after having been introduced to it via email in early 2002 that he dedicated an entire column to its publicity that September, turning an inside joke into a global sensation.
• 2013 – On June 4, 2013, state senator Roger Kahn’s proposal to grant Talk Like A Pirate Day official acknowledgment from the Michigan government was formally adopted, to the chagrin of some dissenting landlubbers.
• 1995 – was created by John Baur and Mark Summers. The idea came to them when one of them got hurt during a racquetball game and yelled out “Arrrr!”. They decided it would be funny to make a whole day where people talked like pirates. They chose September 19th because it was Mark’s ex-wife’s birthday and he figured it would be easy for him to remember.
• Several famous women had successful careers as pirates, including Anne Bonney, Mary Read, and Ching Chih. At the height of her career, Ching Chih commanded a pirate fleet of over 100,000.
• Pirates did have eye patches. It’s been said that one of the reasons pirates wore eye patches was to help keep one eye adjusted to night vision for seeing below deck.
• Grog was the pirate’s drink—a mixture of rum, water, lemon juice, and sugar—was the drink of choice for pirates.
• The English word “pirate” is derived from the Latin term “pirata” which means sailor or sea robber and from the Greek word “peirates” which literally means “one who attacks ships.”
• Pirate treasure wasn’t always just gold and silver. Most of it was food, lumber, cloth, and animal hides.
• Not every pirate ship used a Jolly Roger flag.  Pirates had their flags specially made by a sail-maker’s widow who took payment in brandy, while Blackbeard had his own black flag featuring a skeleton with horns.
• They didn’t really make people walk the plank.  Although walking the plank is common in contemporary pirate lore, most pirates just killed people straightaway.
• Some classic pirate novels:
  • Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. The Scottish author brought pirates to life in 1881 with his talk of buccaneers and buried gold.
  • Peter Pan by JM Barrie. Infused with run-ins with Captain Hook, the original Peter Pan stories from 1904 are much darker than the Disney animated remake films.
  • The Pirate by Sir Walter Scott. Written by another Scottish author, this 1821 novel features Captain Cleveland, a shipwrecked captain in the setting of the island of Shetland.
  • The Life, Adventures, and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton by Daniel Defoe. The first book written on this list, the 1720 book tells the story of an Englishman who was stolen, raised by gypsies, and eventually takes to life on the sea.

Here are some words and phrases you can use to participate in this day:

• Ahoy! – Hello
• Aye! – Yes
• Booty – Treasure
• Colors – Flag
• Matey – Shipmate or friend
• Hearties – Friends
• Lass – Woman or girl
• Avast! – Stop
• Blimey! – Something to say when frustrated
• Savvy? – Do you understand?
• Shiver me timbers! – Something to say when you are surprised
• Yo-ho-ho – Something to say when happy
• Ye – Use this instead of “you”
• Aft – The back of the ship
• Bilge – Bottom of the ship
• Fore – Front of the ship
• Port – Left side of the ship
• Starboard – Right side of the ship
• Buccaneer – Another name for pirate
• Lad – Young man
• Scallywag – Someone you don’t trust
• Shanty – Song
• Cutlass – Pirate’s sword
• Doubloons – Gold coins or money
• Jolly Roger – The flag of a pirate ship
• Hornswaggle – Cheat someone
• Marooned – To get stuck on a desert island
• Walk the plank – To be forced to walk off a plank of the ship into the ocean
• Weigh Anchor – Get the ship ready to sail

Famous Fictional Pirates

• Captain Hook – Peter Pan
• Long John Silver – Treasure Island
• Captain Jack Sparrow – Pirates of the Caribbean
• Dread Pirate Roberts – The Princess Bride
• Captain Hector Barbossa – Pirates of the Caribbean
• Morgan Adams – Cutthroat Island
• Captain Crook – McDonald’s commercials
• Pittsburgh Pirate – Major League Baseball
• Captain Feathersword – The Wiggles
• The Flying Dutchman – SpongeBob SquarePants

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Ducksters

Nassau Paradise Island

Factinate

Mental Floss

National Today

Days of the Year