Everyone knows pirates, or at least thinks they know them! But what we know and imagine about them is not always true... In this article, I suggest you "separate the myth from the reality" and immerse yourself in the real life of pirates!
Pirates used to force their enemies to walk on the plank
Wrong! The plank (= walking on a plank and jumping into the water) was not a custom of the pirates. In fact, they much preferred the torture of the hold: they tied the person to a rope, threw him into the water and made him pass over the rough hold of the ship. He died either by drowning or from injuries.
They hid their treasures on islands
True…and False! In fact, it happened, but rarely. Most of the time, the treasure (which was not usually gold) was spent very very quickly. In addition, pirates had a very short life expectancy, so there was little interest in hiding a treasure for later. That said, some pirates did indeed hide their treasures, hence this myth!
They had wooden legs and hooks
True…but not often! In reality, most amputee pirates died. For the others, some did indeed have a wooden leg or a hook, but very few, because it was extremely expensive (and, no, the typical pirate was not rich). Many did not have one, but continued to work on the ship, as a cook for example.
There was a pirate code
Yes! But in fact, it was not ONE code. Each captain had his own code, which everyone on board, including him, had to respect. We often found the same thing overall, but each had its own little specificities.
They were sailing under the Jolly Roger
Not all of them! The Jolly Roger, the flag that represents pirates in the imagination, was far from being the only flag. Some were black, others red, some had as symbols an hourglass, swords, an arrow, a heart… Almost as many flags as there were crews!
And there you have it, now you know more about the real life of pirates! Myths are inspired by reality, but are not always accurate. If you are interested in pirates, also discover 3 French pirates in this article !
My name is Lucile and I teach French through nerd culture and storytelling! I help learners improve even at a high level, and I help teachers make their classes more fun and creative! If you want to take classes or just know more about me, don't hesitate to contact me 🙂
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