3. Not every pirate ship used a Jolly Roger flag. Pirates from The Bahamas had their flags specially made by a sail-maker’s widow who took payment in brandy, while Blackbeard had his own black flag featuring a skeleton with horns. The skeleton held an hourglass in one hand, and in the other he carried a spear pointing to a heart dripping with three drops of blood.

4. There were women pirates, too. Being a pirate wasn’t just for men. Famous female pirates include Mary Read, Anne Bonny, Grace O’Malley, and Ching Shih.

5. Grog was the pirate’s drink. Grog—a mixture of rum, water, lemon juice, and sugar—was the drink of choice for pirates. (Hmmm, wonder if that’s where the idea for our rum punch came from?)

6. Captain Woodes Rogers chased the pirates out of The Bahamas. Captain Woodes Rogers, a former privateer, went on to become the governor of The Bahamas, and in the process, helped drive all the pirates off the Islands.

7. Pirates did have eye patches. It’s been said that one of the reasons pirates wore eye patches was to help keep one eye adjusted to night vision for seeing below deck.