Blackbeard: The most feared pirate of the Atlantic Presented by Carol Holden and Tanya Klanert

The Beginning of Blackbeard No one is sure exactly where Blackbeard was born. He could have been born in one of two places, Bristol, England or the island of Jamaica Blackbeard’s real name has also been hard to discover, however, Edward Teach is the most common in documents about Blackbeard.

He was an active privateer for the British, spying on French ships during the Spanish War. Privateers were used to attack enemy ships. Becoming a privateer was the first step in Blackbeard’s piracy. For more information about Blackbeard’s life, link to http://www.blackbeardlives.com/day1/bio.shtml

The Queen Anne’s Revenge (QAR) One of the largest pirates ship to ever sail. The Queen Anne’s Revenge was the ship Blackbeard captained.

Before Blackbeard claimed the ship, it is believed to have been sailed in England. The QAR left Africa with gold dust, silver, jewels, and slaves on board. It was captured by Blackbeard during its voyage from Africa. The ship could hold up to 300 tons (600,000 pounds), was armed with 40 different cannons, and had a crew of 150 pirates. Blackbeard captured the QAR in November 1717 in the Caribbean.

The QAR is known to have taken at least 18 ships as "prizes." He used the QAR as his prime weapon during the height of his reign of terror. The QAR is known to have taken at least 18 ships as "prizes." It is believed that Blackbeard and his crew removed most of the booty of gold and silver before they left the ship. The QAR wrecked in June 1718 at Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina. The crew abandoned the ship.

After he captured the QAR, Blackbeard flew his flag from for all to see. A pirate’s flag is known as a jolly roger. The above picture is Blackbeard’s jolly roger.

Life as a Pirate It is thought that Blackbeard’s home was a big white house located on the inlet in Beaufort, NC. This is a picture of his house. Today it is known as the “Hammock House”

The Blockade Blackbeard’s largest accomplishment was the blockade he set up outside of Charleston, SC. He stretched his vessels across the harbor and made demands of the town for money, supplies and medicine.   The blockade wore on for weeks, and without firing a shot, Blackbeard slowly received what he came for. 

Abandoning the QAR In 1718, he sailed it into the Beaufort Inlet.  It was there that he intentionally ran the ship aground.  In reality, he was planning another theft of booty, but this time it was from his own crew. He took the treasure and his favorite crew members and abandoned the ship in the inlet to be taken away by the ocean tide. Blackbeard and the crew he took with him, sailed another ship up Pamlico Sound to the town of Bath.

Blackbeard’s Death He settled on Ockracoke Island near Cape Hatteras. Blackbeard missed being a pirate and soon started sailing the North Carolina and Virginia coast again with another ship and searched for other ships to attack. He settled on Ockracoke Island near Cape Hatteras. The Royal Navy found Blackbeard’s ship anchored at his favorite spot and attacked.

For more legends link to http://www.icw-net.com/tales/ Both sides lost crew members in the battle. Eventually Blackbeard was killed in battle by the Royal navy.  Blackbeard's head was cut off and his body thrown overboard where legend has that it swam around the ship several times before sinking.  For more legends link to http://www.icw-net.com/tales/

Blackbeard's Ship is still underwater in just 20 feet of water off of Fort Macon. Some cannon and artifacts from the QAR have been recovered from the wreckage. Some smaller items, such as the stones in the picture below that have been found are on display at the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC. For more photos of artifacts link to http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/maritime/blackbeard/artifacts.htm

“Only the devil and I know the whereabouts of my treasure, and the one of us who lives the longest shall take it all.” ARRGH!