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Blackbeard: The Life and Legacy of History's Most Famous Pirate
*Includes historic illustrations of Blackbeard and important people, places, and events in his life.
*Includes a profile of Blackbeard from the famous English pirate history "A General History of the Pyrates".
*Discusses common legends about Blackbeard and his appearance, separating fact from fiction.
*Includes a Table of Contents.
“So our hero, Captain Teach, assumed the Cognomen of Black-beard, from that large Quantity of Hair, which, like a frightful Meteor, covered his whole Face, and frightened America more than any Comet that has appeared there a long Time. This Beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant Length; as to Breadth, it came up to his Eyes; he was accustomed to twist it with Ribbons, in small Tails, after the Manner of our Ramilies Wiggs, and turn them about his Ears.” - Charles Johnson, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates
It would be an understatement to say that pop culture’s perception of piracy and pirates has been primarily influenced by Captain Edward Teach, known to the world as Blackbeard, the most famous pirate of all time. An English pirate who terrorized the high seas near the Carolinas in the early 18th century, a period often referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy, Blackbeard was the gold standard, and in the 300 years since his death he has inspired legends that have spanned books like Treasure Island, movies, and even theme park rides.
Of course, like any legendary figure, Blackbeard is remembered today based more on myths than reality. People continue to let their imaginations go when it comes to Blackbeard, picturing a pirate who captured more booty than any other pirate, hid buried treasure, and lit his hair on fire before battle. People have long claimed that his ghost still haunts the Atlantic Ocean, and his contemporaries were so scared of him that they claimed to have seen his headless body swim around his pirate boat three times.
The myths and legends surrounding Blackbeard tend to obscure the life he really lived, but his piracy was also notorious enough to capture headlines during his time. The British Crown put a higher price on his head than any other pirate of the era, and when an author writing under the pseudonym Charles Johnson wrote about Blackbeard in A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates, a legend was born.
Blackbeard: The Life and Legacy of History’s Most Famous Pirate looks at the mysterious life and death of Blackbeard, separating fact from fiction while analyzing his lasting legacy. Along with pictures depicting Blackbeard and important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about the famous pirate like you never have before, in no time at all.
*Includes a profile of Blackbeard from the famous English pirate history "A General History of the Pyrates".
*Discusses common legends about Blackbeard and his appearance, separating fact from fiction.
*Includes a Table of Contents.
“So our hero, Captain Teach, assumed the Cognomen of Black-beard, from that large Quantity of Hair, which, like a frightful Meteor, covered his whole Face, and frightened America more than any Comet that has appeared there a long Time. This Beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant Length; as to Breadth, it came up to his Eyes; he was accustomed to twist it with Ribbons, in small Tails, after the Manner of our Ramilies Wiggs, and turn them about his Ears.” - Charles Johnson, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates
It would be an understatement to say that pop culture’s perception of piracy and pirates has been primarily influenced by Captain Edward Teach, known to the world as Blackbeard, the most famous pirate of all time. An English pirate who terrorized the high seas near the Carolinas in the early 18th century, a period often referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy, Blackbeard was the gold standard, and in the 300 years since his death he has inspired legends that have spanned books like Treasure Island, movies, and even theme park rides.
Of course, like any legendary figure, Blackbeard is remembered today based more on myths than reality. People continue to let their imaginations go when it comes to Blackbeard, picturing a pirate who captured more booty than any other pirate, hid buried treasure, and lit his hair on fire before battle. People have long claimed that his ghost still haunts the Atlantic Ocean, and his contemporaries were so scared of him that they claimed to have seen his headless body swim around his pirate boat three times.
The myths and legends surrounding Blackbeard tend to obscure the life he really lived, but his piracy was also notorious enough to capture headlines during his time. The British Crown put a higher price on his head than any other pirate of the era, and when an author writing under the pseudonym Charles Johnson wrote about Blackbeard in A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates, a legend was born.
Blackbeard: The Life and Legacy of History’s Most Famous Pirate looks at the mysterious life and death of Blackbeard, separating fact from fiction while analyzing his lasting legacy. Along with pictures depicting Blackbeard and important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about the famous pirate like you never have before, in no time at all.
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 19, 2022
Not an easy read.
Oft repeated parts. Often in older English and less than easy to understand. Good information and background to an iconic historical character. Still worth reading.
Oft repeated parts. Often in older English and less than easy to understand. Good information and background to an iconic historical character. Still worth reading.
May 21, 2013
This book is part of History For Kids series aimed at children in the middle grades. As is the case with other books in the series there are engravings, drawings and paintings. There are no maps of the voyages which would have been helpful. The editors attempt to separate the facts from the myth which is difficult to do because of the paucity of information.
Chapter One begins by telling us Blackbeard's real name, Edward Teach, and how he might have been born in either Jamaica or Bristol, England around 1680. Teach learned how to become a sailor by serving in the British Navy during Queen Anne's War. He attacked French ships and soon discovered how to become a pirate. Later when the war was over, he moved to the island of New Providence on the Atlantic Ocean and worked for the pirate leader, Benjamin Hornigold. Together they attacked Spanish and Portuguese ships for bounty of wine and flour. They then met a pirate named Stede Bonet who allowed Teach to captain a ship called the Revenge. These two men later broke with Hornigold because he would not attack the British. When the pirates captured a French slave ship that had 40 cannons, Teach assumed command of 150 pirates. Shortly after they attacked a ship named Margaret, its captain, Henry Bostock, told the governor about Teach describing his long black beard. That is how he got the name, Blackbeard.
Legends about Teach continued to grow and by 1718, the British Royal Navy actively hunted him. Blackbeard feigned repentance and asked for the governor's protection. His ship ran aground; but many think he wanted to sink his ship to split up the pirates and keep more treasure for himself. Blackbeard did not give up being a pirate as he had promised. He sailed up and down the Atlantic coast searching for ships to plunder. The governor of Virginia, Robert Maynard, chased him up and down the coastal seas. Would Blackbeard finally be caught or would he continue to plunder?
This book is not as well written as the others in this series. At times it appears as if the writers are stringing together information rather than telling a life story. The book does its job in introducing students to the real Edward Teach.
Chapter One begins by telling us Blackbeard's real name, Edward Teach, and how he might have been born in either Jamaica or Bristol, England around 1680. Teach learned how to become a sailor by serving in the British Navy during Queen Anne's War. He attacked French ships and soon discovered how to become a pirate. Later when the war was over, he moved to the island of New Providence on the Atlantic Ocean and worked for the pirate leader, Benjamin Hornigold. Together they attacked Spanish and Portuguese ships for bounty of wine and flour. They then met a pirate named Stede Bonet who allowed Teach to captain a ship called the Revenge. These two men later broke with Hornigold because he would not attack the British. When the pirates captured a French slave ship that had 40 cannons, Teach assumed command of 150 pirates. Shortly after they attacked a ship named Margaret, its captain, Henry Bostock, told the governor about Teach describing his long black beard. That is how he got the name, Blackbeard.
Legends about Teach continued to grow and by 1718, the British Royal Navy actively hunted him. Blackbeard feigned repentance and asked for the governor's protection. His ship ran aground; but many think he wanted to sink his ship to split up the pirates and keep more treasure for himself. Blackbeard did not give up being a pirate as he had promised. He sailed up and down the Atlantic coast searching for ships to plunder. The governor of Virginia, Robert Maynard, chased him up and down the coastal seas. Would Blackbeard finally be caught or would he continue to plunder?
This book is not as well written as the others in this series. At times it appears as if the writers are stringing together information rather than telling a life story. The book does its job in introducing students to the real Edward Teach.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews