pirates

“Social Deviance in Early Modern Europe”





















Nate Curran
Western History
Professor Lavertue
10/21/03



Mary Read and Anne Bonny were both female pirates in the 18th Century. At this time it was a male dominated world, women did not have much power if any at all. They were expected to cook, clean, and bear children. Women were also forbidden to go out to sea, seafaring was for only men. Although both illegitimate children Read and Bonny grew up in completely different lifestyles.
Mary Read born outside London to a poverty stricken family. Her mother dressed her like her older brother who had died at sea. Mary did not mind this at all, in fact she liked it. When she was grown she decided to become a sailor. Read enlisted aboard the man-of-war and fell in love with another solider. She married him, but soon after he died. Read then served in the Netherlands ...