bounty pervade the folklore of privateering, which has become a cherished, if often overlooked part of

our shared heritage. Legends were forged during the battle for American independence, and these men were

understandably glorified as part of the formation of our national identity. The fact of the matter is

that the vast majority of these men were common opportunists, if noteworthy naval warriors. The profit

motive was the driving force behind almost all of their expeditions, and a successful privateer could

easily become quite wealthy. In times of peace, these men would be common pirates, pariahs of the

maritime community. Commissioned in times of war, they were respected entrepreneurs, serving their

purses and their country, if only incidentally the latter. However vulgar their motivation, the system

of privateering arose because it provided a valuable service to the!

country, and indeed the American Revolution might not have been won without their involvement. Many

scholars agree that all war begins for economic reasons, and the privateers of the war for independence

contributed by attacking the commercial

American privateers is evident in the bold raids against British ships carried on just off the coast of

because of the danger they posed to seamen trimming the sails. Thus the number and placement of

would enable Britain to resume normal commercial relations with the rest of her colonial possessions.

ther their own careers. At the end of the revolution, there were privateers who had as many as ten ships

vessel was a ship "armed and fitted out at private expense for the purpose of preying on the enemy's

dollars throughout the course of the war. The estimated value of the ships that were captured totaled

These captured vessels were the primary reason upward mobility was so possible. A captain might

The assaults of the privateers on British merchant ships cost English business eighteen million

fifty ships. Even the linen trade with nearby Ireland was ra!

Some common words found in the essay are:
American Revolution, Eventually British, Americas America, Continental Congress, Furthermore British, Americans Tales, England Bold, English French, Royal Navy, Ireland England, american privateers, british merchants, trade american, captured vessel, main deck, capture ships, colonial trade, american revolution, american privateer, colonial trade american, british ships, transports supply ships, effect british trade, profits british merchants,
Approximate Word count = 2401
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)