Gallery 1: Introductory TheaterAn informative video introducesthe themes of the exhibit: piratesand their ships, the Caribbeanas an economic center, slavetrade, and life on-board shipsand on plantations.

Gallery 2: The Bell GalleryThe Whydah’s bell was asignificant find, definitiveproof that Barry Cliffordhad located the shipwreck.

Gallery 3: The CaribbeanWe enter a tavern and meet thepirates, hear their music, andread their Articles of conduct.A map shows the trade routescentered in the Caribbean.

Gallery 4: The Slave ShipWhydah The Whydah isshown loading captives andthen traveling the MiddlePassage from Africa to theCaribbean. A video describesthe slave trade.

BACKGROUNDTHE CARIBBEAN IN THE EARLY 18TH CENTURYThe Caribbean was once the economic powerhouse of the Atlantic world. Ships ladenwith rich cargo traveled the high seas on trade routes that linked Europe, Africa, andNorth and South America in the complex webs of an economy fundamentally drivenby slavery.

Let’s trace one common trade route. A ship on the first leg of its journey, fromEurope to Africa, would be loaded with manufactured goods such as firearms, cloth,liquor, iron, beads, and tools. It would work its way down the west coast of Africa,trading manufactured goods for human captives and also for gold and ivory.

When fully loaded with human cargo, the ship would set out on the next leg of itsjourney, the infamous Middle Passage, sailing across the Atlantic from Africa to theCaribbean slave markets. Crammed into the stinking hold for two to three months, thecaptives endured heat, malnutrition, disease, and emotional trauma.Those that survived were sold as slaves, and the ship took on new cargo, productsfrom the plantations in the Caribbean and South America destined for Europeanmarkets. With the use of unpaid slave labor, these vast plantations were able toproduce huge quantities of sugar, tobacco, and coffee for export at enormous profits.

There was other trade too. Gold and silver mined by Indians under slave conditionswas shipped from South America to Spain. Rum from the North American colonieswas smuggled illegally into the Caribbean.

With all this treasure on the open seas, is it any wonder that pirates took advantage?

THE WHYDAHFrom Slave Ship to Pirate ShipThe Whydah Galley was launched in Londonin 1715. She was designed as a slave ship,and represented the latest technology of theday. Equipped with the most up-to-dateweapons, she was fast and easy tomaneuver, essential qualities if she were tocross the Middle Passage as quickly aspossible to minimize the loss of humancargo. She had a three-masted sailing rig, butwas also fitted out for rowing.The lower decks could hold hundreds ofcaptives and had large galleys withprovisions to feed them. All of thesefeatures—size, speed, weaponry—madeslave ships very attractive to pirates.

In time, pirates would turn theirattention to the lucrative slave trade, attack-ing slaving ships off the West African coast.It was this that eventually led to the pirates’downfall. The navies of the European powerssought to exterminate them. But we are get-ting ahead of our story.

After leaving London, the Whydah sailedto the west coast of Africa, trading goods fora total of 367 captives. Of these, 312survived the Middle Passage and were soldat the slave market in Jamaica. Weighteddown now with valuable cargo, the shipmade sail for England. But she was never toreach her home port.

CAPTURED BY PIRATESIn February of 1717, Sam Bellamy, captainof the pirate ship Sultana, spied the Whydahwhile she was still in Bahamian waters.Hoisting the Jolly Roger, he gave chase for

1. © 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

three days nonstop. When Captain LawrencePrince realized capture was inevitable, helowered his colors and his sails, andsurrendered the Whydah without a fight.

The pirates lost no time in transferringtheir loot from the Sultana onto their newprize. They quickly repositioned moreweaponry, placing cannons both on theupper deck and below. To make the ship lesstop heavy, the pirates probably leveled theupper deck by clearing off cabins and otherstructures. Thus was a slave ship trans-formed into a pirate ship.

As was their custom, the pirates invitedthe crew of the Whydah to join them. A fewdid, but those who declined were freed withCaptain Prince to sail away, unharmed, onthe Sultana. This may seem surprising, butthere is much about the pirate way of lifethat runs counter to the modern stereotype,as we will soon see.

Bellamy’s VoyageOn a spectacular looting voyage through theCaribbean, Bellamy captured more than 50prizes. Laden with booty—perhaps as muchas 4.5 tons of treasure—the Whydah setcourse for New England, where legend saysBellamy intended to pick up his lady-love,Maria Hallett. But on April 26, 1717, aviolent nor’easter off the coast of Cape Codsent the pirate ship to a watery grave whereits treasures remained undiscovered fornearly 300 years.

LIFE AT SEASailors, Seamen, and PiratesThis was the so-called “Golden Age ofPiracy,” from about 1660 to 1730, abrief but action-packed period of history.Pirates were outlaws who pledgedallegiance to no country and ravagedships of all nations indiscriminately. They

were ruthless opportunists with nothingto lose—except their lives. The penalty forpiracy was hanging.

Onboard DemocracyYet these outlaws evolved a kind ofseagoing democracy at a time when it wasunknown in Europe and the colonies. Uponjoining a pirate crew, new recruits signed theShip’s Articles. They swore an oath of loyaltyand agreed to a code of conduct. In return,they were given an equal vote in electing

Gallery 5: Capturing the WhydahWeaponry fills the gallery—cannon, swords, pistols,grenades. Four banners showthe featured pirates, and twomurals depict pirate attacks.

Gallery 6: Entering the WhydahClimb onboard this large scalereplica of the Whydah’s hull.She is at dock in the Caribbeanon a moonlit night.

Gallery 7: The Captain’s CabinHere is a close-up look atCaptain Bellamy’s quarters.After a series of spectacularraids, he is shown examininghis charts to set his coursefor Cape Cod and home.

Gallery 8: Below DecksIn this glimpse of pirate life, wesee a surgeon sawing off a leg;a sailor asleep in his hammock;the quartermaster recordingthe booty; and the carpenterdismantling the slave quarters.

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Gallery 9: The Treasure GalleryA large, dramatic case holdsa chest overflowing with coins,just some of the loot recoveredfrom the Whydah. Aroundthe gallery, more cases displayfeatured coins.

Gallery 10: The Storm GalleryThe visitor is surrounded bythe violent storm that tookdown the Whydah, all buttwo of her crew, and her vasttreasure.

Gallery 11: The Loss of theWhydah The ship has brokenapart. Walking over a glasspanel, visitors see contentsof the Whydah strewn acrossthe sandy ocean bottom offof Cape Cod.

Gallery 12: The Pirates’ FateWhen captured, pirates facedtrial and death by hanging.A full-size replica of a gibbetwhere their bodies were leftto rot as a warning to others,hangs menacingly in the room.

the ship’s officers, an almost equal share ofthe loot (the captain and quartermaster gota larger share), and compensation for injuriesor loss of limbs. By contrast, on merchantand naval vessels, there was a stricthierarchical order and pitifully low wages.

To an international crew consisting ofblacks, whites, and Indians, these were therights and privileges unheard of at sea oron land. It is no wonder that many willinglysigned on.

The pirates also created onboard livingconditions far superior to those on merchantor naval ships. Because they had crews of asmany as a couple of hundred, the workloadwas lighter than on merchant ships whichtypically were worked by only 12–15 men.On a merchant ship, food and clean waterwere in short supply and diseases caused bymalnutrition were rampant. The officers faredmuch better than the crew, however. On apirate ship, everyone ate and drank equally.With frequent raids to restock supplies andwith more leisure time to catch fresh food,the pirates ate (and drank) well.

THE RECOVERY OF THEWRECK OF THE WHYDAHPounded by 40-foot waves, the Whydah ranaground, and was battered to bits. This kindof “exploded” wreck is very difficult torecover. In addition, the sea floor off of CapeCod has a shifting sandy bottom, so the shipand its contents were not only scattered butalso buried under 10 to 30 feet of sand. Thearea is treacherous and over 3,000 shipshave gone down there in a 400-year period.The site was also used as a firing range

during World War II, adding even moredebris to the seabed.

Barry Clifford is not put off bychallenges. He had been fascinated by thetale of the Whydah since childhood, andin 1983 began searching for the wreck.It was not until 1985 that he brought upincontrovertible evidence that the wreckwas indeed the Whydah—her bell.

Technology and ConservationThe recovery process has required the useof some high-tech equipment, such aslasers, CT scans, x-rays, a proton precisionmagnetometer, and diving gear. The work ispainstaking, and like an archaeological dig,the area is divided into grids. Clifford and hiscrew investigate one square at a time andcarefully record their findings.

They have also been careful to conservewhat they recover. Metal objects such ascannons and coins, for example, areencrusted in concretions, formations thatoccur over time when metal disintegrates andcombines with sea salts to make a concrete-like mass. Concretions preserve the artifacts aslong as they are kept wet. Furtherconservation requires a long process calledelectrolytic reduction to break down the saltswithout damaging the artifacts.

The Whydah is the first authenticatedpirate shipwreck ever found. Barry Cliffordand his team continue making newdiscoveries. Their dedication has provided uswith a window into the past, a glimpse ofthe little known life aboard ship in the“Golden Age of Piracy.” As Clifford said, “It’snot what you find, it’s what you find out.”

Gallery 13: Recovery/DiscoveryWe learn how Barry Cliffordspearheaded the discovery ofthe Whydah, and how his teamis ensuring that artifacts areconserved. High-tech equipmentessential to the process is shown.

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ACTIVITIESPRE-VISIT1. Discuss the commodities traded between Europe, West Africa,

the Caribbean, and North America in the early 1700s. Distributecopies of the insert map, Map of the World 1719. Ask studentsto draw these trade routes on the map.

2. Examine the artifacts pictured on the insert.• Speculate on what they are, how they were used, the storiesthey might tell, and why there were important enoughto be included in the exhibit.• Set up a Treasure Hunt Activity to take place during the visit.Ask students to try to find all the artifacts and also to answersome of the questions about their usage, historical importance,and personal stories.

3. (Optional) Use the descriptions of the exhibition galleries topreview highlights of what the class will see. Show the studentsthe website http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mission/real-pirates/ and encourage them to explore the "Pirate and SlaveShip Features" section.

4. On the way into the exhibit, you will receive a copy of theShip’s Articles (a code of conduct for pirates). If time, readand discuss the Articles before entering the exhibit.

DURING VISIT1. Carry out the Treasure Hunt Activity.

2. Observe, critique, and appreciate the murals, photos, videos,music, and artifacts throughout the visit.

3. Focus on trade in the Caribbean. Trace the flow of goods,money, and human captives. Find out:• What kinds of raw materials were shipped, from where towhere? What kinds of manufactured goods were shipped?• What were they traded for? Who were the slaves?• What were the conditions on board a slave ship?• What was the Middle Passage?

4. Four pirates are featured at different points throughout the exhibition.Who are they and what can you find out about each of them?

5. Who were the pirates? Find out more about:• Their ethnicity. Their code of conduct. Their life on board shipas compared with life on a merchant or naval vessel. Compareand contrast their food, drink, clothing, quarters, amusements,hours, and pay.• The roles, duties, and rights of different crew memberssuch as the captain, quartermaster, surgeon, and carpenter• How the “Golden Age of Piracy” ended

6. How was the Whydah recovered?• The technology involved in recovering the wreck:the magnetometer, the mailbox, x-rays, and CT scans• The importance of concretions, and the scienceinvolved in their formation and removal

COMEPREPAREDBe ready for a rich and exciting experience that engagesvisitors from their very first step into the exhibit. Youngvisitors are especially enthralled, drawn to the authenticartifacts presented in a range of media. Try to build someflexibility into your planning to allow students to followtheir own interests for at least part of the visit.

The exhibit may be viewed from many differentperspectives and thus lends itself naturally tointerdisciplinary studies. You may want to decide onseveral focus points for your class, or you may prefer tolet them range widely and absorb the concepts morebroadly. Some of the content areas you will discoverembedded in the exhibit include: geography, history, andsocial studies; science and technology; art and music;language arts; math and measurement.

Students always get more out of a museum visit whenthey are prepared and know what to expect. You cangenerate enthusiasm by previewing some of the galleriesusing the map and illustrations provided, discussing majorconcepts, or examining some of the pictured artifacts withthe class. Please see Pre-Visit Activities for suggestions.

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NATIONAL STANDARDSThe content of the exhibitioncovers many curriculumsubjects. Please visit thefollowing websites for links totopic-specific national standards.

ScienceNational ScienceEducation Standardshttp://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/

MathematicsPrinciples and Standardsfor School Mathematicshttp://standards.nctm.org/

Social StudiesExpectations of Excellencewww.socialstudies.org/standards/

HistoryNational Standards forHistory in the Schoolshttp://nchs.ucla.edu/standards

GeographyThe National Council forGeographic Education: Standardswww.ncge.org/standards/

The ArtsARTSEDGE: Standardsartsedge.kennedy-center.org/teach/standards.cfm

Language ArtsThe National Council ofTeachers of English: Standardswww.ncte.org/about/over/standards

POST-VISIT1. Summarize some of the

main themes of the exhibitby discussing or by writingand illustrating (perhapswith a mural in the style ofthe exhibit):• What was the legacy ofthe “Golden Age of Piracy”?• What was the importanceof the Caribbean in the18th century?• What does the Whydah tellus about life at that time?

2. Write a profile of:• A pirate.• A naval or merchantseaman.• A human captive

3. Tell the story of yourfavorite artifact.•Why is it important?• What evidence does it giveof the history of the time?

4. Do further research on thescience and technology of therecovery and conservationof historical artifacts.Find out about other under-water archaeological sites.

5. Search the web for informationon Olaudah Equiano whowrote a first hand account ofhis experiences as a slave.

6. Measure out the dimensionsof space typically allotted tohuman captives on a slaveship. For men, 6 feet by 1 foot4 inches. For women, 5 feet10 inches by 1 foot 4 inches.Then lie down in the space.Describe what it must havefelt like to be shackled in thatspace for months whilecrossing the ocean.

RESOURCESWebsitesNational Geographic Society. Real Pirates: The UntoldStory of The Whydah from slave ship to pirate ship:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mission/real-pirates/

NewYork Public Library, Schomberg Center for Research inBlack Culture. Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery:http://digital.nypl.org/lwf/flash.html

BooksW. JEFFREY BOLSTER, Black Jacks: African American Seamen in the

Age of Sail. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998.

BARRY CLIFFORD and KENNETH J. KINKOR with SHARON SIMPSON, RealPirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship toPirate Ship. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2007.

BARRY CLIFFORD with PAUL PERRY, Expedition Whydah: The Storyof the World's First Excavation of a Pirate Treasure Ship and theMan Who Found Her. NewYork: Harper Collins, 1999.

DAVID CORDINGLY, Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Realityof Life Amongst the Pirates. NewYork: Random House, 2006.

PETER EARLE, The Pirate Wars. London: Methuen, 2003.

OLAUDAH EQUIANO, The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings.NewYork: Penguin, 2003.

ROBERT HARMS, The Diligent: A Voyage Through the Worlds of theSlave Trade. NewYork: Basic Books, 2003.

COLIN A. PALMER, Human Cargoes: The British Slave Trade to ColonialAmerica, 1700–1739. Chicago: University of Illinois, 1981.

MARCUS REDIKER, Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in theGolden Age. NewYork: Beacon, 2005.

CREDITSThis guide was produced for National Geographic Society.

PRODUCER: Sharon Simpson, SJS Projects

AUTHOR: Patricia McGlashan

DESIGNER: Karen Davidson, Davidson Design, Inc.

ARTIFACT PHOTOGRAPHY: Kenneth L. Garrett

ILLUSTRATIONS: Gregory Manchess

CENTER COVER ILLUSTRATION: Frederick Judd Waugh/Getty Images

MAPS: Cape Cod, permission of Harvard Map Collection;World Map 1719, Library of Congress

EXHIBIT PHOTOGRAPHY: Matt Prefontaine

PHOTO OF BARRY CLIFFORD: Kenneth L. Garrett

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Canon Medical Systems, Canon-USA,Christina Wright, and Tom Fricker

SPECIAL THANKS: Dana Chivvis, National Geographic Booksand Christina Wright, Arts and Exhibitions International

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MISSION PROGRAMS:Terry Garcia, Executive Vice PresidentSarah Laskin, Vice PresidentKathryn Keane, Director, Traveling Exhibitions DevelopmentFrederik Hiebert, Archaeology FellowFord Cochran, Director, Missions Online

This exhibition is organized by National Geographic and Arts andExhibitions International in cooperation with Cincinnati Museum Center

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Draw the traderoutes that

carried goodsand people

between Europe,West Africa, theCaribbean, and

North America inthe early 1700s

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How many of these artifacts can youfind as you go through the exhibition?

When you find an object, think aboutthese questions:

• What was it used for?

• How was it made?

• What materials were used?

• Where did they come from?

• Why was it made?

What other questions can you comeup with?

17. Whydahbell

15. Queen Anne teapot

6. bar iron

4. shackles

16. Sun King pistol

20. vent picks and gun worms18. cannon

7. grenades5. navigational dividers 8. ship’s model

11. syringes

2. carpenter’sgrindstone

13. bar shot

12. “RoyalStrike”

1. gold watersnail

19. pile of coins

10. John King’s stocking andshoe

9. gibbet

3. dive suit

14.machinegun bulletwithconcretedcoin

© 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY