The Jolly Roger flag is an icon of the piracy age. Infamous pirates such as Black Sam Bellamy and Edward England used those famous skull and bones while they were plundering.
The Golden Age of Piracy was referred to as the biggest raise in piracy. It lasted from 1650 to 1680. The "buccaneers" would attack Spanish colonies, plunder merchant ships, and dock in the Eastern Pacific.
Though directors use this flag in movies and shows, the Jolly Roger flag was a very serious matter. Their crew was so feared, any ships that saw it would sail away in fright.