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
- 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)
- Elizabethan Sea Dogs (27 min) – Drake & England’s pirates
- Barbary Corsairs (29 min) – North African raiders
- Caribbean Buccaneers (28 min) – Henry Morgan’s exploits
- Asian Pirates (28 min) – Cheng I Sao’s massive fleet
Pirate Life & Legacy (15-24)
- Shipboard Culture (27 min) – Music and daily life
18-19. Women Pirates (27/28 min) – Bonny to pirate queens
- Pirate Trials (26 min) – Historic prosecutions
23-24. Modern Piracy (29/30 min) – Somalia to pop culture

