Catalogue Number
NMLH.2023.77.3
Object Name
Poster
Title
English Pirates began to conquer the sea trade routes
Date
1972-1982
Description
The Poster Collective was a collective formed in 1971 at the Slade School of Art,  a group formed to initially produce posters in response to the miners strike and on the wars in both Vietnam and Ireland. It was formed on the basis of developing a coherent visual style, which addressed the political issues of the time. This included the armed struggles against colonialism in Africa, the struggle of women for equal rights and the continuing struggle against racism. The collective was active in the 70's and 80's, producing posters on a wide range of issues, including for educational purposes. The group was not-for-profit and used a variety of hand-printing techniques to create their posters. This poster is part of a set, "Whose World is the World?", comprising of twelve that were created for schools. The set depicts a different view of history and puts forward ways of understanding the basis for the development of Western economic power over the last 400 years. It was produced in
1979. This poster is the third in the series; it is white with red and black text and an illustrated background depicting ships sailing across a blue ocean. There are also illustrations of Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake. Text reads: "ENGLISH PIRATES BEGAN TO CONQUER THE SEA TRADE ROUTES SO THAT ENGLISH MERCHANTS COULD EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS. PIRATES ATTACKED AND STOLE THE RICHES FROM PORTUGESE AND SPANISH SHIPS TRAVELLING BACK FROM THE AMERICAS WITH INDIAN GOLD. THEY BROUGHT MORE THAN £12 MILLION INTO ENGLAND DURING THE RIGHT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE WASW THE QUEEN'S BEST LOVED PIRATE. HIS FIRST PIRATE EXPEDITION WAS IN 1577-80. IT COST £5000 AND QUEEN ELIZABETH PAID A LARGE PART OF THUS. IT BROUGHT IN ABOUT £600 THOUSAND IN PROFIT AND ABOUT HALF OF THIS WENT TO THE QUEEN. THE MERCHANTS USED SOME OF THE MONEY FROM PIRACY TO TAKE OVER THE MUCH MORE PROFITABLE SLAVE TRADE... THE SLAVE TRADE LASTED ABOUT 250 YEARS AND ENORMOUS PROFITS WERE MADE. TRADERS USED THE
MONEY TO BEGIN BUILDING FACTORIES IN EUROPE. Raw materials were made into goods in the newly built factories. Over 50 million people were taken from Africa and whole villages were left empty. European plantations owners needed people to work on their sugar, tobacco, and later, cotton plantations." The side of the poster says "Designed by the poster collective. Distributed by the Institute of race relations."
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