Pirates of the Caribbean: Fact vs. Fiction

Bedtime History: Inspirational Stories for Kids and Families

Bedtime History

Education, Kids & Family, Stories For Kids, Education For Kids

4.4 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2025

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The real Pirates of the Caribbean were far more complex—and sometimes more brutal—than the swashbuckling legends in movies. From the late 1600s to the early 1700s, this region was a hotspot for piracy, where sailors turned outlaw raided ships for gold, goods, and freedom. Figures like Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack were real people who navigated a dangerous world shaped by colonial powers, naval warfare, and trade routes. This episode separates fact from fiction, exploring the economic, political, and social realities of piracy in the Caribbean. 💵 Get a free month of Acorns Early: ⁠⁠⁠⁠acornsearly.com/bedtimehistory⁠⁠⁠ Try Cocomelon Sing & Play for Free on your smart TV Volley App

Transcript

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0:00.0	A shout out to Justin and Julian in Florida.
0:02.3	Thanks so much for donating to the podcast.
0:05.5	Many kids and grown-ups know about pirates from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
0:09.9	These movies are full of wild adventures, treasure hunts, sword fights, and ghost ships.
0:15.1	The pirates in the film sail on fast ships, wear fancy hats and say things like,
0:19.9	Ar! and shiver me timbers. The movies
0:23.0	are fun, but they are not always true. The real story of Pirates in the Caribbean is just
0:28.0	as exciting, but very different. Pirates were real people. They lived hundreds of years ago.
0:34.6	Most pirates in the Caribbean were active between the late 1600s and early
0:38.6	1700s. This time is called the Golden Age of Piracy. It lasted for about 30 years. During
0:46.6	this time, pirates sailed the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, looking for ships to attack.
0:52.7	So why were there so many pirates in the Caribbean?
0:55.0	The answer has to do with money.
0:57.0	European countries like Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands
1:02.0	had colonies in the Caribbean.
1:04.0	They grew sugar, tobacco, and other goods.
1:07.0	They also dug gold and silver from the land and mines in the Americas.
1:14.6	These treasures were loaded onto ships and sent back to Europe.
1:17.1	The ships were slow and heavy.
1:19.5	They made good targets for pirates.
1:25.2	Pirates would attack these ships, steal the treasure, and sail away before anyone could stop them.
1:29.3	Some pirates even attacked towns and ports along the coast. One famous place that many pirates visited was Port Royal.
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