Final answer:
Privateers were authorized by the Continental Congress to capture enemy ships and cargo during the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is History and the grade level is Middle School. The question asks about the authorization of privateers by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. Privateers were privately owned ships that were authorized by the government to capture enemy ships and cargo. This was done because the Patriot navy was small and weak, and privateers provided a way to disrupt British trade and weaken their war effort.
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