Why did pirates wear eye patches? Pirates often got crickets or a disease caused by a
lack of vitamin C. The disease caused them to go blind in one eye.
Why did pirates have wooden legs? The famous pirate Blackbeard lost his leg due to a disease
called diabetes.
Are there still pirates today? Yes, there are men who rob at sea which are considered
pirates but they are not like the pirates of the past. The pirates of today usually attack merchant vessels for goods
and look like modern-day robbers. The golden age of pirates was 1764-1856.
Were there women pirates? Absolutely! Female pirates were fairly common.
Did pirates get rich? Not usually. Each pirate on the ship received equal booty and
the captain, the pilot, the carpenter, and the cook usually got double shares. One share was set aside to repair
the ship. Even though they usually didn't get wealthy, a pirate still made four times what he could working for the
navy.
