The RMS Titanic, a British passenger liner built in 1912, was known as the "unsinkable
ship" because of its large size, modern features, and remotely sealable compartments.
However, its nickname did not appropriately match the unfortunate fate of the ship. The
Titanic was 882 feet long, stretching longer than four city blocks. It was on a long
journey from Southampton, England to New York City, carrying 1,316 passengers and
885 crew members. Those on board were a mixture of England's wealthiest socialites, as
well as Irish and German immigrants.
At 11:40pm, watchmen aboard the ship spotted an iceberg ahead. In an attempt to
avoid it, the ship made a sudden shift to the left, causing it to sideswipe the iceberg. The
iceberg punctured holes in the starboard side of the boat. Six of the ship's 16 water-tight
compartments quickly filled, causing the ship to lose too much buoyancy to remain
afloat. As the front sank, the back of the ship lifted out of the water, causing the ship to
eventually split in half.
What
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In accord with the ship's boastful nickname, engineers had only put 16 lifeboats on
board. They could accommodate just a third of the Titanic's total passengers. Many
people did not evacuate, thinking it was impossible that the Titanic could sink. The ship
sank at 2:20am on April 15, 1912, and many people lost their lives. The "unsinkable ship"
descended to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
ship: