Calico Jack

You mean to say that they are not _all_ already female smileys? Well, except for the Rackham flag, anyhow... How would one tell, at any rate, being a featureless little smiling head, as to its sex? [No jokes about sex and smiling heads, thanks.] As to the discussion of Female Pirates, there's been lots of suggestions for good sources. Remember, Anne and Mary are well known because they make for good story, with an amusing end to the tale. Most "real life" pirates don't go down in infamy for generations, male or female, black or green. - Calico Jack

The famous "Pirate Ships' Articles" which are often seen floating around are those by [the Dread] Bart Roberts, and are not necessarily typical of the Articles signed by a pirate crew. Roberts, after all, wasn't typical. The key to Ships' Articles, however, seemed to be the "all in on the account" nature of a signing - proof that you were in this with the rest, and so unlikely to turn traitor since you'd be as guilty as the rest. Privateering, of course, was yet another matter entirely. Hope that's a useful start. - Calico Jack

For a good look at what makes a privateer a privateer, check out Dan Conlin's work - available on-line at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~jacktar/privateering.html - while it focuses on Nova Scotian Privateers, the general writing and research holds. In essence, Privateers were a means whereby the navies could both hit the enemy in the pocket-book [thus theoretically reducing funds which said enemy nation could spend on its own navy] as well as get folks to sail, since a navy life didn't appeal to most. Privateering had a chance at profit [unlike the navy], a chance to retire [unlike most piracy], and less risk of injury [unlike both]. And the numerous books citing the idea that in peacetime, former Privateers turned Pirate are basically citing a falsehood. It _could_ happen [Peter Easton, the Marquis of Savoy, and Newfoundland Pirate for example], but most former Privateers opened pubs and stores and farms in peace-time, or became fishermen [or smugglers during the American Civil War]. So check out Conlin's research. Cheers! - Calico Jack