With the waves crashing under its hull and a column of smoke rising high from the chimneys of the ship, the Titanic stands as one of the greatest ships in modern history. But with the release of the movie, some Titanic facts have become murky. For history buffs of the world, it is quite important to know the real facts about the Titanic and be able to educate other people about them. With so many facts about Titanic floating around the internet — why is it important to distinguish real facts and fiction about this grand ship?
For its time, the Titanic was one of the greatest luxury ships that could, theoretically, sail across the Atlantic ocean. With its only voyage, it became not only a reason for increased safety regulations, but also the titular character of the movie Titanic. After all, the Titanic facts you know most likely came from the movie. But with fiction comes the danger that one Titanic fact presented incorrectly can change our thinking about it. After all, sad Titanic facts were a bit dramatized to draw in more of our attention. Reality becomes much more interesting when you find out the real Titanic facts and history.
Looking for facts on the internet is like sailing through an uncharted ocean. It is unclear what is real and what is fictional. But no worries, like the northern star in the sky, the list we compiled below might be the navigational guide you need. Below, you might find some Titanic facts you didn’t know or which were shown in the movie with details changed for the drama. If the fact was able to raise some flags of curiosity, upvote it. If you know a bit more about the presented fact, comment down below and add some of your own information about the journey of that fact. Best of sailing through the facts!
#1
Without her husband Isidor, Ida Straus steadfastly refused to board the lifeboat.
Ida and Isidor Straus, the New York-based founders of Macy's Department Store, offer what may be one of the most tragic love stories from the Titanic. Ida wouldn't get in the lifeboat without her husband, who declined a space when it was offered to him because he knew there were still women and kids on board. They perished together.
42points
#2
The chief baker treaded water for two hours before being rescued.
Before being discovered, the head baker, Charles Joughin, is said to have floated in the sea for two hours. He insisted that the enormous amounts of whiskey he drank prior to the ship sinking kept his body warm enough to withstand the chilly water.
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30points
#3
The Titanic's youngest passenger was a 2-month-old baby.
In addition to being the oldest survivor, Millvina Dean was also the youngest passenger on board. 2009 saw her passing away at the age of 97.
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30points
#4
It's possible that an optical illusion kept from detecting the iceberg in time.
Tim Maltin, a historian, claims that super refraction was probably induced by atmospheric conditions the night the ship sank, which may have concealed the iceberg. This may help to explain why the iceberg wasn't discovered until the ship was too close to it to avoid it.
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25points
#5
Two young brothers survived the ship without a guardian.
The only children to survive the Titanic without a parent were Edmond and Michel Navratil, who made history in that regard. They were known as the "Titanic Orphans" and were two years apart in age. In order to take them to America, their father, Michel Sr., abducted them from their mother, with whom he had broken up. When he placed his kids in a lifeboat, that was the last time anyone saw him.
24points
#6
Milton Hershey was supposed to be on the Titanic.
Milton Hershey, the entrepreneur behind the renowned Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, sent a $300 payment to reserve his stateroom on the RMS Titanic. Hershey and his wife missed the trip because work took priority.
23points
#7
On the day of the crash, a lifeboat practice was planned, but it was canceled for unknown reasons. Captain Edward Smith took the choice to call off the drill.
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23points
#8
Only half the passengers would have been saved if the lifeboats' total capacity had been used.
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22points
#9
Benjamin Guggenheim faced disaster in style.
When they learned that the ship was sinking, American businessman Benjamin Guggenheim and his servant Victor Giglio dressed into their best evening attire. According to reports, Guggenheim stated, "We've dressed up in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen."
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22points
#10
A first class parlour suite aboard the Titanic cost $4,350 (£875), as opposed to the average cost of a First Class berth, which was £30 on the ship.
22points
#11
The Titanic took two hours and 40 minutes to sink.
The New York Times ran a headline stating that the Titanic sank four hours after colliding with the iceberg in its initial report on the tragedy. The fact that the ship sank more quickly was not widely known by the general public.
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21points
#12
The first lifeboat was released an hour after the iceberg struck.
It could appear logical for a ship to instantly release safety lifeboats upon hull breach. However, it took the Titanic an entire hour before it launched her first lifeboat.
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20points
#13
Tens of thousands of dollars were paid for the final lunch menu from the Titanic.
The final first-class lunch menu from the Titanic was purchased by a private collector for $88,000 on September 30, 2015, at an online auction. The collector overpaid by $18,000 compared to the initial ceiling price.
20points
#14
13 couples aboard the Titanic were on their honeymoon. The lifeboats were prioritized for newlyweds among other people.
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20points
#15
While building the Titanic 8 people died and 28 serious accidents, 218 minor accidents were also reported by the Harland and Wolff company.
19points
#16
Although the Titanic could have carried 64 lifeboats, it only carried 20.
Many of the Titanic's lifeboats were not fully occupied with the number of passengers they were designed to carry.
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19points
#17
The Titanic sank very fast.
The ship split in two, with the bow falling at an estimated 35 mph to the ocean floor and the stern falling at an estimated 50 mph.
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19points
#18
The iceberg that hit the ship may have jutted out 100 feet above water.
It's estimated that the iceberg the Titanic struck was 50 to 100 feet above the water. It's believed that the iceberg's total length was between 200 and 400 feet.
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18points
#19
When the ship sank, the sea water's temperature was below freezing.
Water temperatures were as low as -2 degrees Celsius, according to measurements made by Captain Stanley Lord of the SS Californian, a ship that was nearby when the Titanic sank.
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18points
#20
The ship took over three years to build.
Beginning in 1909 and continuing for three years, the White Star Line's Titanic was constructed at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland.
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17points