A river pirate is a type of pirate who operates in a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

. The term river pirate has been used to describe many different kinds of pirate groups responsible for attacks all over world.

History

River pirates operated in the Great Lakes

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...

 during the America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

's earliest history and later during the Timber Rebellion of 1853, the so-called timber pirates

Timber pirate

A timber pirate is a term used in the United States to describe a type of pirate engaged in the illegal logging industry.-History:The term probably originated during Timber Rebellion in 1853 when criminals, mainly from the western Great Lakes region, preyed on Michigan's government owned supplies...

 were also referred to as river pirates due to their activities on the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

 and that of the Great Lakes. The pirates of Cave-In-Rock

Cave-In-Rock, Illinois

Cave-In-Rock is a village in Hardin County, Illinois, United States. Its principal feature and attraction is a large nearby cave on the banks of the Ohio River. Cave-in-Rock was originally a stronghold for outlaws including; river pirates and highwaymen, Samuel Mason and James Ford, tavern...

 operated on the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

 in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and they were responsible for killing many settlers as they traveled west along the river. In Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

, river piracy has always been a problem and continues to the present day, particularly in the southeast.