legacy
"In many respects Major Stede Bonnet was the most remarkable of all the notorious sea-robbers of this period. As an old biographer points out, he was the last man who could have been expected to have launched out upon such an abandoned and desperate career. A man past the meridian of life, of good antecedents, possessed of wealth and of a considerable degree of education and refinement, as such accomplishments went in those rude times, there was every reason for him to remain at home and end his days in peace and honor." (Hughson). In 1717 Stede Bonnet decided to pursue a career as a pirate. No one knows why a rich sugar cane plantation owner like himself would chose to live the life of a pirate. It is thought that Bonnet may have suffered from a mental disorder, was in an unhappy state of marriage, or just wanted some adventure in his life. “…in early 1717, Stede’s neighbors and friends described him as suffering “from a disorder in his mind, which had been but too visible in him.” Adding further stress to the Major’s fragile psyche was trouble in his marriage. Like many couples that marry at a very young age, the Bonnets argued…a lot. ” (Downey 22). Bonnet is one of few pirates that chose a life of piracy over a life of wealth and leisure, causing his legacy.
He also had a effect on the Carolinas, “As moft Colonies in America have had their Trade interrupted by the Pirates, that for thefe three Years paft have been fo numerous, and committed fo many Villanies, not only in deftroying Veffels and their Cargoes, but barbaroufly murdering many innocent Perfons; fo this Province of South Carolina in particular has had a great Share of their Infults, and efpecially from one of the moft noted amongft them, namely Major Stede Bonnet…” (Thelf, iii). Also Stede Bonnet’s and Blackbeard’s blockade of the Charleston port caused Charleston’s government to search for the two pirates and ask Britain for more naval ships to help defend them from all of the pirate attacks on the city. “…the great danger our trade and collony are in from them, they haveing at some times blocked up our harbor for eight or ten days together, and taken all that have come in or gone out, and plundered them, where they have not thought the vessells fitt for their purpose. In procureing a vessell it will be of the greatest service to the trade not only of this collony, but of all these hurts, and extremly oblige. ” (Johnson).