The Titanic © Encyclopædia Britannica

The Titanic was the largest and most luxurious ship of her time, designed to be the fastest way to cross the Atlantic to America. The Titanic's gigantic propellers. Harland and Wolff's Belfast shipyard, May 1911 Courtesy Smithsonian Institute

Look at: for an interactive tour of Titanic. Click on different parts of the ship for some photographs and information.

She was said to be the safest ship afloat Eileen and Neal McNamee were excited to travel on her maiden voyage, even if they were only Third-class passengers.

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARMS_Tita nic_distress_signal_simulated_as_morse_code.wav N Atlantic Iceberg 1912.Was this the one Titanic hit? The iceberg tears into the Titanic. This is how the hull split open.

We have an eye-witness account Of the sinking. Elizabeth Shutes was a governess, travelling with a rich family in a First Class cabin. Read what she had to say:

‘ Suddenly a queer quivering ran under me… Startled by the strangeness of the shivering motion, I sprang to the floor. With too perfect a trust in the mighty vessel I again lay down. Someone knocked at my door, and the voice of a friend said: “Come quickly to my cabin, an iceberg has just passed our window, I know we have just struck one”’.

No laughing throng, but on either side (of the staircase) stand quietly, bravely, the stewards, all equipped with the white, ghostly life-preservers …. We passed on… the awful goodbyes. The quiet look of hope in the brave men’s eyes as the wives were put into the lifeboats. We left from the sun deck, seventy five feet above the water.’

‘Our lifeboat, with thirty six in it, began lowering to the sea. This was done amid the greatest confusion. As only one side of the ropes worked, the lifeboat at one time was in such a position that it seemed we must capsize in mid-air. At last the ropes worked together, and we drew nearer the black, oily water.

And so we put off – a tiny boat on a great sea – and rowed away from what had been a safe home for five days.’ Robert G. Lloyd, Marine Artist, England

‘The first wish on the part of all was to stay near the Titanic. We all felt so much safer near the ship. Surely such a vessel could not sink… But surely the outline of that great, good ship was growing less, the bow of the boat was getting black. Light after light was disappearing.’ Robert G. Lloyd, Marine Artist, England

Titanic survivors in a collapsible lifeboat

‘The stars slowly disappeared, and in their place came the faint pink glow of another day. Then I heard, 'A light, a ship.' I could not, would not, look while there was a bit of doubt, but kept my eyes away…. Then I looked and saw a ship. A ship bright with lights; strong and steady she waited, and we were to be saved.’

Two lifeboats approach the Carpathia April 15 th 1912

Survivors on board the Carpathia

Eileen and Neal were not so lucky. They did not survive.

Have another look at the plan of the ship Plot a route from the third-class cabins to the lifeboats. Do the same for the First-class cabins. Which is easiest?

What happened to Neal and Eileen? Eileen’s body was recovered by the ship the MacKay Bennett. She was buried at sea. Neal’s body was never found. Like many brave men he would have helped women and children into the boats and stayed on board the sinking liner.

Burial at Sea

The vivid description of what it was like to be on-board the Titanic and see her sink comes from an eye-witness. Evidence like this is called Oral History

Why did the mighty ship sink? Was Captain Smith going too fast? Had the shipbuilders done a bad job? Was Bruce Ismay, Managing Director of the White Star line, trying to beat the speed record to cross the Atlantic? Look at :// For more ideas

Look at some pictures of the objects and records from the Titanic. ca/artifacts-records.asp Choose one object and think of 10 questions you would like to ask about it… (Have a look at the next slide first to give you some ideas)

Who did this shoe belong to? How old were they? Boy or girl? What else might they be wearing? Do you like the style? Do you think it was an expensive shoe ? What is it made of? How did it do up? How did it go missing? Was it made by hand? Here’s an example: Copyright © Nova Scotia Museum

Search the list of 3 rd class passengers to find Neal and Eileen McNamee. What can you find out about them?

There’s a lot of evidence about the sinking of the Titanic that you can explore on-line