The Golden Age of Piracy spanned the period from approximately 1650 to 1726. During this period, bands of pirates menaced commercial (and sometimes even military) shipping in the Caribbean, along the North American eastern seaboard, the West African coast, and the Indian Ocean. The characters from the Golden Age of Piracy and their exploits form the basis of the modern conception of pirates as depicted in popular culture. The Library of Congress collections contain a wide variety of materials, both primary and secondary, for the study of this period. This guide lists many of these materials, particularly those that are available online, either through the Library's website, or beyond.