The Barbary Pirates Created by Kurt Brautigam

The Barbary Pirates were pirates in the Mediterranean Sea who controlled the Barbary Coast. The pirates would rob ships and keep the people for ransom. Barbary Coast

In the late 1700’s, the U.S sent the ship, The Maria, to Gibraltar straight to trade. The ship was attacked by the Barbary Pirates and the crew of the ship are sold into slavery. The Maria

In 1794, the U.S. creates the U.S. Navy and tries to make a treaty with the Barbary Pirates. The pirates threaten the U.S. that if they don’t give more money to them, they will declare war.

Thomas Jefferson, the U.S. president, talks to James Madison, the secretary of defense, about the pirates. Jefferson decides to fight the Barbary Pirates. James Madison Secretary of Defense Thomas Jefferson President of the U.S.

Jefferson send four ships into the Mediterranean Sea. On August 3, 1803, the Enterprise finds one of the pirates ships, The Tripoli. The pirates don’t know it’s the U.S. because they put up a British flag as a trick.

When The Enterprise got close enough to The Tripoli, the U.S. raised the American Flag and started shooting at The Tripoli. After 3 hours, the U.S Navy won against the Barbary Pirates. 3 Hours

A few months later, The Philadelphia was chasing a Tripolian ship when The Philadelphia got stuck on some rocks and the pirates took 307 men hostage and held them for ransom.