The Real History of Pirates

Overview

Course No. 30060

Reexamine the golden age of piracy through 24 revealing lectures with Professor Manushag N. Powell.

This course explores:

• The truth behind pirate legends from Blackbeard to Cheng I Sao

• How piracy challenged empires and shaped global trade

• The complex roles of women, slavery, and privateers

• Why piracy persists today in modern forms

Discover how sea raiders influenced world history beyond Hollywood myths.

Video Lessons

Pirate Realities (1-7)

• Defining Piracy (26 min) – From ancient to modern

2. Facts vs Fiction (26 min) – Separating myth from truth

• Attack Tactics (25 min) – How pirates captured ships

• Pirate Economics (26 min) – The business of plunder

Global Pirate Hotspots (8-14)

8. Elizabethan Sea Dogs (27 min) – Drake & England’s pirates

9. Barbary Corsairs (29 min) – North African raiders

10. Caribbean Buccaneers (28 min) – Henry Morgan’s exploits

12. Asian Pirates (28 min) – Cheng I Sao’s massive fleet

Pirate Life & Legacy (15-24)

16. Shipboard Culture (27 min) – Music and daily life

18-19. Women Pirates (27/28 min) – Bonny to pirate queens

21. Pirate Trials (26 min) – Historic prosecutions

23-24. Modern Piracy (29/30 min) – Somalia to pop culture