Handcrafted Model Ships - Wooden Caribbean Pirate Ship Model 7"

Pirate Ships of the Caribbean:
      
       Throughout the Golden Age of Piracy three classes of ships were of particular use throughout the Caribbean. The brigantine featured a square-rigged foremast and fore and aft sails on the main mast, allowing for superior maneuverability and speed. The galleon was developed in the 15th and 16th centuries in Spain and Portugal, and boasted two or three decks, as many as four masts, and carried up to 200 crew and 70 cannons, though lacked speed. The schooner was of Dutch and North American design, crafted with narrow hulls and fore and aft sails for maneuverability and speed, as well as operation in shallow waters. While the galleon was perfect for intimidation and might, the brigantine and schooner were favored for their ability to make hasty departures.

Privateers and Buccaneers:

       Privateering rose to prominence during the 16th century as a cost-effective method of enhancing European nations’ navies, particularly in the Caribbean. During times of war these powerful European nations would authorize private citizens and ships with letters of marquee, allowing them to legally attack foreign ships at sea. As these privateers were funded by private investors, the captured ships and bounty would be divided between the sailors, investors, and the government granting the letters of marquee. Specific to the Caribbean were privateers known as buccaneers, a name derived from the Caribbean Arawak Indians. Generally these were French, Dutch, and English citizens who had lived sparingly off of the land, only later turning to piracy as a means to better lives in the developing Caribbean, often operating with the partial support of the non-Spanish colonies, their activities generally considered “legal” until the 1700s. 
      
The Fall of the Golden Age of Piracy:

       Following the War of Spanish Succession, in the early 18th century, the Caribbean experienced its second expansion of piracy. With the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht multiple European nations agreed on peaceful terms, leaving countless thousands of sailors and soldiers without work. As shipping and slave trade was booming during this time, in what is called the triangular trade, the Caribbean saw a massive economic rise, which in turn lead to further piracy. While this initial influx of sailors was a boon for piracy, soon their numbers and conduct began to attract the attention of European naval powers. With an even greater stake in Caribbean trade than the previous century, large navies began to protect merchant ships and eventually transitioned to hunting the pirates themselves. As profits shrunk and the pirate lifestyle became increasingly deadly, the Golden Age of Piracy saw its end, though the legends from its time would live on throughout history.