The captain was elected by all the men in the crew and could be replaced by a majority vote by the same. Cowardly or brutal captains were … 展开

Bartholomew Roberts' articles on the Royal Fortune (1720) Every Man has a Vote in Affairs of Moment; has equal title to the fresh Provisions, or strong Liquors, at any Time seized, and … 展开

Piratical checks and balances proved quite successful. According to Captain Charles Johnson, owing to the institution of the quartermaster, aboard pirate ships "the Captain can undertake … 展开

For the most part, Western pirates did not prey on one another and were always willing to help out fellow pirates. For example, in April 1719, Howell Davis and his crew sailed into the Sierra Leone River, alarming the pirates commanded by Thomas Cocklyn 展开

Pirate articles were based on the chasse-partie created on buccaneer ships in the 17th century. The chasse-partie determined the division of … 展开

Piracy was usually voluntarily chosen, and it was a way of life that challenged the society pirates left behind. Most pirates came from the lowest social classes and went out to sea in search … 展开

Not all people on board were there voluntarily or had voting rights. Almost all pirate ships would have a considerable amount of forced labourers on board (usually 10%-60%). … 展开