James Buckley Jr. - Who Was Blackbeard?

The man who became Blackbeard might have been born in Bristol, on the southwest coast of England, around the year 1680. Only one record has been found to prove that. The mans real name is a mystery, too. It often appears as Edward Teach. However, it was also written as Thatch, Tache, Tack, or Thatche.

It does make sense that a man like Teach would have come from a place like Bristol. At that time, Bristol was one of the major ports in England. It is located on the River Avon, which leads to the Atlantic Ocean. Shipbuilders in Bristol were famous throughout England for the strength and design of their boats. The busy docks were crowded with ships and sailors. A boy like Edward Teach would have found lots to see and do. In fact, many young boys found jobs on ships as cabin boys or servants.

Ships left from Bristol for trips to ports all around the world. All those departing ships meant that there was a great need for sailors. Thousands of men from Bristol had become sailors on merchant ships. Others joined the British Royal Navy.

By the 1600s, European countriesincluding Spain, England, and Francehad claimed parts of the Americas and the Caribbean islands as colonies. The only way to reach those colonies was by sailing, so sailors headed west in great numbers. The ships carried food, clothing, building materials, slaves, and colonists to the New World. They returned with sugar, rum, gold, tobacco, and spices.

Edward Teach was said to have fought as a sailor in Queen Annes War, which lasted from 1702 to 1713. He would have been in his early twenties at the time. England fought this war against Spain and France in Europe and all along the Atlantic coast of its American colonies. Edward did not join the crew of an official Royal Navy ship. To fight the war, Great Britain and other nations used privateersprivately owned ships that were given permission by the government to attack the enemy, in this case Spanish and French ships. Edward would have sailed on a privateer.

Captain Johnson wrote that Edward had uncommon boldness and personal courage as a sailor.

LETTERS OF MARQUE

IF A SHIPS CAPTAIN WANTED TO BECOME A PRIVATEER, HE ASKED FOR A LETTER OF MARQUE (MARK). A LETTER OF MARQUE WAS A GOVERNMENT LICENSE. IT GAVE THE CAPTAINAN ORDINARY CIVILIANPERMISSION TO ATTACK AND CAPTURE ENEMY SHIPS. MOST COUNTRIES USED PRIVATEERS IN ADDITION TO THEIR OWN NAVIES. THESE PRIVATE SHIPS DIDNT COST THE GOVERNMENT ANYTHING, AND THEY COULD HELP DISRUPT THE ENEMY BY CAPTURING NECESSARY SUPPLIES. GRANTING A LETTER OF MARQUE WAS AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO INCREASE A GOVERNMENTS PRESENCE AT SEA. REQUESTING A LETTER OF MARQUE WAS CONSIDERED A PATRIOTIC CAREER CHOICE.