HIST3718 - 01 - Pirates, Rascals & Scoundrels

Pirates are some of the most romanticized and legendary figures on the High Seas. Thousands of books have been written about them, from children's bedtime stories to great novels to serious scholarly works. But why are pirates so interesting and mesmerizing to audiences throughout the centuries? This course explores the illicit side of history by examining the role of pirates, criminal convicts and other people on the margins in creation of the Atlantic world from 1450-1850. Marginalized peoples such as pirates, criminal convicts, indentured servants, and non-enslaved populations labeled as "rebellious Rascals" (for example, the Acadians, Indians and others) counted as a silent majority in the Atlantic world. While exploring issues of class, race, gender and forced migration, we will explore how a variety of marginalized peoples navigated the difficult and complex landscapes of the Atlantic.