The Titanic Disaster: Measuring Loss of Life, Property and Injuries

Students will examine several examples of claims filed to understand the range of passengers on board and the scale of the April 15, 1912 disaster. This activity can be used during a unit on early 20th century U.S. or World History.

For grades 6-12. Approximate time needed is 90 minutes.

Quickly show all the documents included in the activity to the class. Explain to students that they will be exploring a variety of claims filed by survivors, the families of victims, and owners of cargo against the White Star Line for loss of life, loss of property and injuries.

Model careful document analysis with one document from each row. The first group contains claim filed for loss of life. The second group has claims filed for loss of property. And the third group is comprised of claims filed for injuries.

Divide students into small teams. Direct them to begin the activity by reading the questions in the initial tab and analyzing the following four documents for meaning. The directions tell students to answer the questions in the first blank text box.

Before students continue onto the second set of documents, discuss the answers students derived from the first set of documents as a class. After the discussion, have students continue to the second and third set of documents. Discuss their findings after each set of documents.

After analysis of all 3 groups of documents, discuss the conclusion questions.

• What do these claims tell you about the Titanic disaster?
• Do you think the survivors, families of victims, and owners of cargo deserved the full value they were seeking? Why or why not?

Students will take away from the discussion that these documents provide an insight into the class differences that existed among the Titanic passengers. This is apparent, not only with the value of property lost, but with the loss of life claims filed.