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Remembering the Titanic

One of the Greatest Maritime Tragedies in History

Photo: Black and white image of the Titanic ship.

The R.M.S. Titanic departed from Southampton, England, for the first and only time on April 10th, 1912. The Titanic had nine decks with separate areas for first-class, second-class, and third-class passengers. There were close to 2,200 people aboard for the ship's maiden voyage.

Photograph by F. G. O. Stuart

On April 10, 1912, the R.M.S. Titanic left its port in Southampton, England, and began the transatlantic journey to New York City in the United States. Considered unsinkable, Titanic served as a luxury ocean liner for over 2,000 passengers and crew. On April 15, Titanic sank in just over two and a half hours after colliding with an iceberg.

More than one hundred years later, National Geographic Education marks the anniversary of one of the greatest maritime tragedies in history. From Titanic’s construction in Belfast, Ireland, to its discovery under icy waters by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Robert Ballard and oceanographer Jean-Louis Michel in 1985, the Titanic has long captivated the public mind. Use this collection of multimedia education resources to contextualize the anniversary for your students.


National Geographic Museum

In this investigative exhibition, discover the surprising link between one of the greatest discoveries of all time—the Titanic—and a top-secret Cold War mission. May 30, 2018 - January 6, 2019

In this investigative exhibition, discover the surprising link between one of the greatest discoveries of all time—the Titanic—and a top-secret Cold War mission. Dive in between May 30, 2018 and January 6, 2019. Order your tickets here!

Videos

Spark student interest in the story of the Titanic with these videos

National Geographic Explorer

Learn more about one of the people National Geographic funds to explore the world

Ocean Explorer Robert Ballard

Ocean Explorer Robert Ballard  

Dr. Robert Ballard is an ocean explorer who has discovered shipwrecks (including the R.M.S. Titanic!) as well as the weird world of hydrothermal vents.

Games and Interactives

Engage students with these games and interactives on the Titanic

Titanic: 100 Years

Titanic: 100 Years  

Explore the Titanic with this interactive featuring the art of Ken Marschall

The Crash Scene

The Crash Scene  

Explore sonar imagery of the wreck site, and zoom in on individual pieces of the ship.

Building Titanic: An Interactive Timeline

Building Titanic: An Interactive Timeline  

Witness the Titanic come to life in the shipyards of Belfast with this interactive timeline.

Maps

Explore the geography of the story of the Titanic with these maps

MapMaker Interactive

MapMaker Interactive  

Investigate the ocean conditions in the area where the Titanic sank.

MapMaker Kit

MapMaker Kit  

Chart the Titanic's story on this large-scale map that you can download, print, and assemble.

Nonfiction Reading

Use these articles to learn more about the great unsinkable ship

Timeline

Ocean Exploration Timeline

Ocean Exploration Timeline  

Learn how the story of the Titanic relates to important events in underwater exploration history.

Collections

Need more material for your class? Check out these other resource collections

ocean

ocean  

This collection contains a selection of content from National Geographic Education about the ocean. Use search to find more.

engineering

engineering  

This collection contains a selection of content from National Geographic Education about engineering. Use search to find more.

zx

Explorers  

This collection contains a selection of content from National Geographic Education about explorers. Use search to find more.

National Geographic Magazine

Check out these select articles from National Geographic Magazine