The Barbary Pirates

1
The Barbary Pirates

• Mr. Phipps
• U.S. History

2
The Barbary Coast

• Consisted of four states Morocco, Tripoli,
  Tunis, and Algieria
• Established by Barbarossa in the 16th century
• Pledged the states to the Ottoman Empire

3
Corsairs

• The Barbary Corsairs were privateers who had been
  operating out of the Ottoman Empire since the
  Crusades
• The leading Corsairs were Saracens
• Were Muslims, preyed exclusively upon Christians
• Operated out of several infamous ports including
  Algiers, Sale, Tripoli, and Tunis
• Favored galleys that were fast and maneuverable
  in shallow water
• Used terror tactics to force merchant vessels to
  surrender

4
Importance

• As Muslims, they were sworn to oppose Christians
• Were created during the Crusades
• Took slaves rather than killed them
• Those who converted to Islam were treated as
  equals and avoided slavery
• Sanctioned by a government

5
Protection Money

• The Barbary States demanded annual tribute from
  seafaring nations (tribute allowed their ships to
  sail unmolested across the Barbary Coast and to
  trade in African ports)
• By the 18th Century, most of the European powers
  paid tribute routinely
• After 1783, America was no longer under
  protection from the pirates (through relationship
  to Britain)
• In the late 18th century, the U.S. govt agreed
  to pay tribute to each of the pirate states

6
The Great Debate

• Adams and Jefferson disagreed about how to handle
  the Corsairs
• Adams strongly favored paying off the pirates
• Jefferson vehemently disagreed

7
The First Barbary War

• In May 1801, both sides declared war
• An American squadron chased the Corsairs back
  into the Mediterranean
• The squadron accomplished little
• An unsuccessful blockade was enacted, with help
  from Sweden
• Encouraged Swedens active participation, mutual
  benefit
• Let the pirates know America would not tolerate
  them any longer
• America tried numerous ineffective assaults over
  the course of the next few years

8
The Philadelphia

• In 1803, the American Frigate the Philadelphia
  pursued an enemy Xebec into an uncharted reef
• The Philadelphia caught on a sandbar and was
  forced to an embarrassing surrender
• American Commodore Edwin Preble was forced to
  decide the best course of action
• He ordered a raid, and Lieutenant Stephen Decatur
  successfully carried it out
• This was the most effective victory by the
  Americans to date in the war

9
A New Course of Action

• The United States opted to pit the Arabs against
  themselves
• Yusuf Karamanli was the Bashaw of Tripoli, but
  his brother, Hamet, was the rightful owner to the
  throne
• Hamet was convinced by the Americans to overthrow
  Yusuf
• American marines and Hamets ragtag army marched
  hundreds of miles across the desert from Egypt
• They successfully seized the city of Derna
• Victory! Yusuf was compelled to sign a peace
  treaty

10
Wars End?

• Peace was negotiated, though Yusuf was never
  overthrown
• The return of American prisoners was guaranteed
• Overall, not much really changed
• Only Tripoli made an agreement
• The other Barbary States werent bound by terms
• American vessels traded freely for about the next
  decade, until incidents with Algiers flared

11
Importance

• The Barbary Wars prompted the U.S. to build a
  navy
• The wars united the American armed forces (people
  fought as marines rather than Georgians and New
  Yorkers)
• Signaled the weakened status of the Barbary
  States
• Proved that America could execute a war far from
  home (first real test of American military power)
• Provided valuable military training
• Made the Americans overconfident
  in their
  abilities--War of 1812

12
The Second Barbary War

• During the War of 1812, the pirate states
  increased their attacks on American shipping
• Ended swiftly (the American navy was much more
  seasoned after the war of 1812)
• Ended all tribute payments by the United States
  to pirate states
• By 1830 most European nations had followed suit

13
Importance

• Tribute payments stopped because
• Britain and Holland followed Americas lead and
  bombarded the Algerian fleets and fortifications
• French colonialism challenged American and Dutch
  activity
• Italy overthrew the Bashaw of Tripoli and created
  Libya
• 19th century Imperial colonialism put an end to
  the piracy
• Americas victories
  against
  the pirates set
  the stage
  for this
  colonialism

14
Terrorism

• The pirates themselves were terrorists
• Modern terrorists sprung from
• Islamic-Christian barrier still present today
• Colonization of Africa
• Decline of the Ottoman Empire

15
Sources
YARRR!

• Anonymous. Islams War Against the West The
  Barbary Pirates 16 June 2003. lthttp//www.ziane
  t.com/wblase/endtimes/barbary.htmgt
• Baker, Thomas. Piracy and Diplomacy in
  Seventeenth-century North Africa.
  Fairleigh. Dickinson University Press, 1989.
• Cindy Vallar. The Barbary Corsairs. 1 July
  2004. lthttp//www.cindyvallar.com/barbarycorsa
  irs.htmlgt
• Gerard W. Gawalt. America and the Barbary
  Pirates An International Battle Against an
  Unconventional Foe. 16 February 1999.
  lthttp//memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jeff
  erson_papers/mtjprece.htmlgt
• Library of Congress. Tripolitan War. 23
  December 2004. lthttp//www.loc.gov/rr/print/li
  st/picamer/paTripoli.htmlgt
• Maddox. The Best Damn Page in the Universe. 17
  May 2005. lthttp//maddox.xmission.com/gt
• Nathan Williams. How Did the United States
  Defeat the Barbary Pirates? 26 September 2001.
  lthttp//hnn.us/articles/287.htmlgt
• Wheelan, Joseph. Jeffersons War Americas First
  War on Terror, 1801-1805. Carroll Graf, 2003.