logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2022
35m 52s

The Age of Pirates | A Gold Chain Or A W...

Wondery
About this episode

At the end of the 17th century, pirates stalked the coast of North America and the waters of the Caribbean, attacking merchant vessels from every nation. But they were more than just armed robbers of the high seas. They were also crucial figures in the growth of England’s American colonies, supplying them with vital goods that were often unavailable otherwise. 

One of these early pirates, Captain Thomas Tew, hailed from the bustling port city of Newport, Rhode Island. Soon he would cruise halfway around the world to the Red Sea, lured by stories of riches beyond his wildest dreams.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.





See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Yesterday
Evolution on Trial | A Clash of Giants | 1
In 1925, the famous politician and presidential contender William Jennings Bryan returned to the limelight to lead a new crusade against the teaching of evolution. With Bryan’s support, Tennessee became the first state to ban the teaching of evolution in public schools.The Americ ... Show More
38m 28s
Jul 2
Typhoid Mary | Cook, Carrier, Captive | 3
In 1906, a New York health department investigation into an outbreak of typhoid fever led to the discovery that a cook, Mary Mallon, was an unsuspecting ""healthy carrier"" of the deadly bacteria. This discovery forever altered Mallon’s life, thrusting her into a national spotlig ... Show More
41m 2s
Jun 25
Typhoid Mary | Destroying Angel | 2
After spending two years in forced isolation on a remote island in the East River, Mary Mallon fought back, insisting that she posed no danger to the public and city officials had overstepped their authority in keeping her against her will. She finally managed to secure her freed ... Show More
34m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2022
USS Indianapolis: Disaster at Sea | Abandon Ship | 1
In the final weeks of World War II, the Navy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine in the middle of the Philippine Sea. The nine hundred survivors found themselves stranded in the middle of the open ocean, many without rafts or life vests, wond ... Show More
42m 28s
Oct 2022
Who Were the Sea Peoples?
When assigning blame for the Bronze Age Collapse, the most common culprits are said to be the Sea Peoples: nomadic raiders and sackers of cities who plied the sea-lanes of the late Bronze Age world and brought to an end centuries of flourishing trade and culture. Yet who were the ... Show More
45m 4s
May 2023
Fire at Sea: Cruise Ship Rescue | "When the Going Gets Tough..." | 5
Of the more than 500 Prinsendam passengers and crew, every one of them was eventually rescued and brought to safety. Today, two of those survivors, John and Malory Graham, join host Mike Corey to share their experience of the fire and rescue. Malory was just 13-years old when she ... Show More
37m 46s
Nov 2022
Submarine Rescue: The Race to Save Squalus | Into the Deep | 1
On the morning of May 23, 1939, a state-of-the-art U.S. Navy’s submarine, the USS Squalus, was doing a routine test dive when something went terribly wrong. The sub began flooding, and plunged 240 feet down to the bottom of the ocean, trapping the dozens of sailors aboard. The sh ... Show More
47m 8s
Mar 2024
The Real Pirates of the Caribbean
Throughout the late 17th and early 18th Century, the waters of the Caribbean were crawling with pirates. Stories about swash-buckling buccaneers, and insatiable treasure-seekers haunted the tropical islands, as navies tried in vain to put a stop to their reign of terror. But who ... Show More
59m 38s
Jun 2022
Hatton Garden | The Plan | 1
Brian Reader has a dream – to pull off the biggest burglary in British history. But he can never quite find the right crew to do it. But then he becomes a pensioner and realizes it very well might be now or never.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusive ... Show More
49m 2s
Jan 2023
Uncharted: Teddy Roosevelt's Amazon Expedition | Headwaters | 1
In 1913, former President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a perilous expedition to explore one of the last unmapped rivers in the Amazon. Roosevelt was joined by his son Kermit, famed Brazilian explorer Candido Rondon, and a team of naturalists and porters. But as the party sets o ... Show More
44m 37s
Aug 2022
Abdication | Wally | 1
When Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, Edward, meets the twice-divorced ‘poor relation’ of Baltimore aristocracy, he’s captivated by her boldness, her confidence and total disinterest in tradition. But his family, and the British government, are determined to put a ... Show More
48m 17s
Jan 2022
USS Indianapolis: Disaster at Sea | Troubled Waters | 2
The nine hundred men who survived the torpedo attack on the U.S.S. Indianapolis are either drifting in the sea, fighting strong currents and swells, or clinging to rafts. They’re at the mercy of the ocean, hundreds of miles from land, with dwindling supplies and no drinking water ... Show More
43m 2s
Oct 2021
The Canoe Con | Missing | 1
Prison officer John Darwin finds himself in debt and makes a drastic decision to fake his own death.Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/britishscandal.Suppo ... Show More
43m 1s