Captain Kidd & the Myth of Pirate Maps

Eli Whitney Museum

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Vacation Program

  • Monday, April 13, 2015
  • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • Designed for ages 6 to 8

William Kidd was a real pirate. He was a Scot who sailed Long Island Sound when New Haven is a still young Colony. Captain Kidd could have visited New Haven's harbor. Myths and legends followed his exploits. One of those got out of control. Captain Kidd may have created the story that pirates bury treasure and reveal the whereabouts with maps on which X marks the spot.

Build a tiny pirate ship. Then look at what may have been Captain Kidd's map. Then consider the map it inspired in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Then construct pirate maps with all the clever codes and clues that have guided pirate tales all the way up to Jack Sparrow's You may discover that there are more useful in stories than in real life. And of course they are fun.

Instructor: Kiran Zaman


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