All 9 places, explained
1. Ship's wheel
The ship's wheel steers the ship. It is joined by ropes to the rudder, so turning the wheel turns the ship.
Fun fact Ship's wheels were new in the early 1700s. Before that, sailors steered with a long pole.
2. Captain's cabin
The captain's cabin is at the back of the ship, under the steering deck. It has windows, a table and maps for finding the way.
Fun fact Pirates voted to choose their captain, and every crew member had a vote.
3. Capstan
The capstan is a big wooden drum on the deck. Sailors pushed wooden bars to turn it and pull up the heavy anchor rope.
Fun fact Turning the capstan took many sailors walking around and around together.
4. Galley
The galley is the ship's kitchen. The cook made meals on a fire inside a stove built of bricks.
Fun fact Layers of brick under the fire kept its heat away from the wooden deck, because a fire on a wooden ship was very dangerous.
5. Hammocks
Most sailors slept in hammocks, beds made of cloth that hang from the beams. They swing gently with the waves.
Fun fact The word hammock comes from the Taíno people of the Caribbean.
6. Gun deck
On the gun deck, the cannons sit on wooden carriages with small wheels. Ropes held them in place when the sea was rough.
Fun fact Sailors also lived and slept on the gun deck, right next to the cannons.
7. Hold
The hold is the big storeroom at the bottom of the ship. It is full of barrels of water and food, crates and sacks for the long voyage.
Fun fact Pirates had a rule that all lights and candles were put out at eight o'clock at night.
8. Treasure
Pirates kept the gold and silver they captured. They shared it out according to rules the whole crew agreed on.
Fun fact The captain usually got only two shares of the treasure, and every other pirate got at least one.
9. Ballast
Ballast is the pile of heavy stones at the very bottom of the ship. Its weight keeps the ship upright so it does not tip over.
Fun fact Water that leaked in collected at the bottom, in a part called the bilge, and sailors pumped it out.
