What document was signed by private individuals to legally attack enemy ships?

• A. The Treaty of Paris
• B. The Letter of Marque
• C. The Edict of Nantes
• D. The Peace of Utrecht

Answer: (B)

A letter of marque is a government-issued license that authorizes private shipowners to attack and capture enemy vessels during wartime, turning them into prizes for the privateers. This arrangement lets a country supplement its navy by using private ships, with rules set by the government and prize courts to determine legal captures and share of prize money.

Why this fits: privateers aren’t regular sailors of a navy, but private citizens who operate under a state license. The license specifies what ships may be attacked, how to conduct prize captures, and how the proceeds are distributed, making their actions legal acts of war under the state’s authority.

The other documents were peace agreements or religious edicts, not licenses that authorize private acts of maritime warfare.