Join the conversation

I’ve always had a fascination with shipwrecks. Specifically the Titanic, and in my defense, since long before James Cameron’s film came out in 1997. When I was 8 years old, my dad took me to see Robert Ballard (who discovered the wreck in 1985) at the local high-school and I promptly got into a discussion with two enthusiasts as to the significance of wrecks in general, including the World War II battleship Bismarck and the Andrea Doria, which claimed the lives of a family friend’s parents when he was just a child. The sinking of Titanic occurred 100 years ago Sunday, but its lessons live on for future generations.   

At the time, Titanic was the largest man made moving object ever built, an engineering marvel, and yet it sank on its maiden voyage. The disaster offers up many teaching opportunities, as a singular historic event. The New York Times’ Learning Network highlights a number of them. First, consequences of the event remain today, including lasting changes for maritime travel, specifically for passenger safety regulations and global shipping standards. Students can compare disaster coverage to more recent events such as September 11 or Hurricane Katrina, and discuss the ever evolving media apparatus. Additional angles teachers could address include examining the role of class and gender as part of the traditional call “women and children first” and who lives or who dies. Students in science classes may also find the engineering details of interest or enjoy learning more about Ballard’s journey to find the wreckage, as well as its rapid disintegration underwater. Other great resources for schools and teachers include: National Geographic’s 100 year webpage, lesson plans from the National Education Association and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and a vast collection of additional sites from Larry Ferlazzo.  

 And beyond the more easily categorized topics and angles, there is the broader story of human triumph and error with enduring questions. Who, if anyone, is to blame? Was the Captain reckless to order more speed, despite the ice warning and the ship’s limited turning capacity? Was the White Star Liner owner, Mr. Ismay, to blame for pushing the Captain to order more speed? Given that the boats were not filled to capacity, should the people in them have gone back to rescue survivors? Were they right to fear being swamped by desperate souls slowly dying of hypothermia in the cold North Atlantic? What right do we, generations later, have to judge and should we? Open ended questions provide an opportunity for students to reflect on cause and effect, as well as human decision-making, and realities of morality and heroism.

As an academic subject, history can fall victim to factual information: dates, outcomes, and names. Students may be left wondering why they need to know this content, but it’s easier to learn and retain in the context of historical significance. Students can connect to events such as the Titanic, which encourage critical thinking, questioning and yes, facts. Students are better able to relate to the information as relevant and consequential when it does not exist in a vacuum or comprise one bubble on a standardized test. Raising the Titanic as a subject in 21^st Century classrooms is both an engaging opportunity as well as a tribute to those who perished a century ago.