The Titanic Basic Information The Death of an Era

The Titanic Basic Information The Early 1900’s The Titanic Basic Information The early 1900’s was a period of tremendous technological advancement in the world. In 1900 there had been fewer than 8,000 cars in the US; by 1910 there were close to 500,000 cars in the US. In 1903 the first heavier-than-air craft lasted 12 seconds and covered 852 feet; by 1909 a man had flown across the English Channel, a distance of 26 miles. The years between 1900 and 1910 saw the first Kodak camera, phonograph, aircraft, electric light, and motion picture!

The Titanic Basic Information The Early 1900’s The Titanic Basic Information This was a time of class distinction. There were upper, middle, and lower classes in America and Britain. Class was decided by wealth in the US. It was decided by birth in Britain. Only one percent of Americans controlled over 60 percent of our nation’s money! The same was true for Britain. Most upper class Americans were nouveau riche (newly rich), and had more money than they could spend. They wanted to be with other rich people, so they traveled to Europe.

The Titanic Basic Information The Early 1900’s The Titanic Basic Information The aristocrats stayed in fashionable hotels in Paris and London, toured the Pyramids in Egypt, and relaxed in luxurious spas in Germany, Switzerland, and the south of France. Airline travel was not available yet, so all transatlantic trips had to be made by sea. Upper class passengers wanted fast ships with all the luxuries they were used to enjoying. Shipping companies competed for their business. The industrial revolution had increased the demand for cheap labor in America, so hundreds of thousands of immigrants flocked to our country in search of jobs and better lives. These were the middle and lower class people. In 1907 alone, over 1 million people came to the US!

The World’s Top Ocean Lines They competed for transatlantic passengers

The Titanic Basic Information member of the White Star Line her sister ship was the Oceanic 11 stories high 4 city blocks long (a sixth of a mile!) weighed over 46,000 tons (over 50% larger than any other ship of the day!) 10 decks Titanic was the largest ship ever built up to this point

The Titanic Basic Information RMS Titanic The Titanic Basic Information Eleven stories high and four city blocks wide! The largest ship anyone had ever seen! It was a proud symbol of human achievement.

Total of 10 decks Boat deck (life boats) A (Promenade) B (had private promenades) C D E F G Two lowest decks used for machinery

First Class Grand Staircase

Café Parisien Located on B Deck French-style sidewalk café favored by the younger, hipper passengers

First Class Smoking Room Capt. Smith Archie Butt Clarence Moore Harry Widener

Third Class Accommodations Third Class Dining Room Stateroom

Watertight Doors Boilers

The Titanic Basic Information Created at Harland & Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Ireland Launched on May 31, 1911 Spent ten months getting “fitted out” Maiden voyage began April 10, 1912 She was to sail from Southampton, England, to NYC, across the North Atlantic Ocean Struck an iceberg on her starboard side at 11:40 p.m., Sunday, April 14 Sunk at 2:20 a.m. on Monday, April 15, 1912

The Titanic Basic Information The iceberg was perhaps over 100 feet tall.

The Titanic Basic Information Titanic hits the iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on Sunday night, April 14, 1912 The Titanic Basic Information Iceberg tears open a 300-foot gash, ripping open the first six watertight compartments

The first six watertight compartments were damaged 1 6 5 4 3 2 The first six watertight compartments were damaged

The watertight compartments in the front of the ship were flooding and pulling the bow under the ocean. Officers put passengers in the lifeboats; some people still didn’t want to leave.

RMS Titanic Eleven stories high and four city blocks wide! The largest ship anyone had ever seen!

The Titanic Basic Information Titanic’s Passengers Collectively worth $250 million dollars in 1912!

The Titanic Basic Information J. Bruce Ismay President of the White Star Line Came up with the idea for the sister ships to compete with the Cunard Line He decided to only go with 20 lifeboats – he knew that was not enough Traveled as a First Class passenger, but let everyone know that he was in charge He wanted the Titanic to beat the Oceanic’s transatlantic speed record Crawled into a lifeboat right before it descended - survived The Titanic Basic Information

The Titanic Basic Information Thomas Andrews Designer of the Titanic Worked for Harland & Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Ireland Traveled as a First Class passenger, but spent time inspecting the details for improvements later Well-respected by everyone; he was kind to all the passengers and crew He also knew there were not enough lifeboats for everyone Went down with the ship; didn’t even attempt to get in a lifeboat The Titanic Basic Information

The Titanic Basic Information John Jacob Astor IV Wealthiest family in America His family owned entire streets in NYC Owned some of the most expensive real estate in the world, including the Astoria Hotel Owned over 1,000 rental properties (“slum lord”) Divorced his wife and remarried an 18 year old girl – this caused a SCANDAL in high society. They left US for vacation in Europe until the gossip died down. They were returning to America on the Titanic. He died when a smokestack fell on him in the water. She survived. The Titanic Basic Information

The Titanic Basic Information Isador & Ida Strauss Co-founder of Macy’s Department Store millionaire (of course), former Congressman He tried to put her into a lifeboat, but she wouldn’t leave him. They died together on the boat. The Titanic Basic Information

The Thayers First Class Passengers

Lawrence Beesley Second Class Passenger Teacher

Col. Archibald Gracie Jack Thayer

William T. Stead First Class Passenger (uber eccentric!)

Major Peuchen Charles M. Hays

Captain Smith

First Officer William Murdoch Capt. Smith

Marconi Radio Operators Second Operator Harold Bride First Operator John Phillips