This documentary chronicles the story of the Titanic. The largest and most luxurious ship ever built, the Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable, but the ship sank on its maiden voyage from Southhampton, England to New York. The symbol of the gilded age, the Titanic was a floating tribute to the progress, optimism, and arrogance of the industrial era. Titanic captures not only the story of one of the world's greatest disasters, but also the essence of the industrial and Progressive age.

This documentary would be useful for classes on American History, History of Science and Technology, Cultural History and Immigration History. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Death of a Dream (Part 1)

She was the pride of the White Star Line. Nicknamed "The Wonder Ship" and the "Millionaire's Special", the Titanic's size and luxury were unprecedented. So was her passenger list: John Jacob Astor, perhaps the richest man the world; Mr. And Mrs. Straus, founders of Macy's department store. At the helm would be the White Star's best, Captain Edward J. Smith, making his last voyage before retirement.

• accommodate
• aloof
• appalling
• arrogance
• awed
• behemoth
• complacent
• consolidating
• coterie
• coveted
• de rigor
• diphtheria
• disembark
• emigrate
• endear
• foreboding
• gesticulated
• hostility
• illustrious
• lucrative
• luminaries
• mammoth
• meticulous
• microcosm
• newfangled
• niceties
• opulence
• overwhelmed
• panacea
• popery
• precedence
• premonition
• reciprocating
• salvation
• satirist
• sovereign
• traumatic
• vengeful
• vied
• wary

1. The Titanic was considered one of the great products of progress and technological advancement. How did the sinking of the Titanic shatter this faithful belief in progress?

2. This program refers to the Titanic as a microcosm of western society. What is meant by this phrase? How does the Titanic fit this description?

3. The Titanic is considered a symbol of the gilded age and an embodiment of the arrogance of gilded age technology. Why is this age considered arrogant? Why is the Titanic its symbol?

4. The Titanic was hailed as virtually unsinkable. What state of the art features of the Titanic led to this claim?

5. The Titanic was known for its opulence and luxury and it catered to the rich. Yet immigrants and poorer people traveled on the Titanic in third class or steerage. Although they were passengers on the ship, they were not allowed to mingle with the upper-class passengers or to wander to the upper-class sections of the ship. What do these regulations on the Titanic say about the class relations and divisions of the era?

6. Because the Titanic was the largest and most technologically advanced ship ever built up to that time, the captain and the crew faced unprecedented challenges. How did this affect the fate of the Titanic?

1. Design an advertisement for the Titanic's maiden voyage. What features of the ship would you emphasize? How would you entice prospective passengers to choose the Titanic?

2. The word titanic has its origins in Greek mythology. Research the origins of this word and discuss why the name Titanic was chosen for this ship.

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Air Dates

• January 03, 2005