Experiencing the Titanic Disaster

Fact vs. Opinion Table

Directions:
For this assignment read the following excerpts of historical non-fiction and then complete a
table indicating whether the excerpt was a statement of fact or a statement of opinion.
Remember that facts are statements that can be proven true and opinions are statements
based on personal beliefs, thoughts, values and culture. Once you complete the table, copy
and paste the table into the Analysis page you created on your Titanic proect website. This is
the first of two tables that you will include on your website!s Analysis page.
Fact vs. Opinion
Excerpt
On the messages sent by the "arconi wireless operators#
Ships relayed messages back and forth to one another. The Titanic herself acted as a relay for
messages from vessels lacking surface transmitter range to reach the north American coast
direct, putting the Titanics operators in regular contact with fellow operators on nearby ships.
Alongside messages from passengers were navigational signals, to be passed on by the
Marconi operator to the captain. !$op%inson, p. &'(
On the attitude displayed by the ship!s captain#
"n other words, #aptain Smith seemed confident $ in hindsight, overly confident % that if any
iceberg large enough to cause any damage appeared, the lookouts and the officers on the
bridge would be able to see it in time. )$op%inson, p. *+(
On the final effect of the damage#
The latter stages of the sinking cannot be stated with any precision, owing to a confusion of the
times which was natural under the circumstances&
&'er stern was gradually rising out of the water, and the propellers were clear of the water.
The ship did not break in two (we now know the Titanic did, in fact, break apart) and she did
eventually attain the perpendicular, when the second funnel from aft about reached the water.
There were no lights burning then, though they kept alight practically until the last. )$op%inson,
p. ,&- .uoting from The /ritish 0rec% 1ommissioner!s 2n.uiry Report, 3uly +4, -'-,(
On whether "r. 2smay was ustified in boarding a lifeboat#
*id you see Mr. "smay+ ,es. " saw Mr. "smay helping to load the boats. *id you see him get in
to a boat+ ,es- he got in along with Mr. #arter, because there were no women in the vicinity of
the boat. This boat was the last to leave, to the best of my knowledge. 'e was ordered into the
boat by the officer in charge. " think that Mr. "smay was .ustified in leaving in that boat at that
time. )Affidavit by A.$. 0ei%man, barber on the Titanic, dated April ,5, -'-, as published in the
6Titanic7 8isaster $earing /efore A 9ubcommittee of the 1ommittee on 1ommerce, :nited
9tates 9enate, ,4-,(
On reasons why more third class passengers perished than in any other class#
They were located farther away from the lifeboats. They were accustomed % by regulation and
practice % to stay in their own areas and wait for instructions. Also, unlike first and second class
passengers, men in third class were not allowed to escort their wives to the boats, encourage
them to get in, or see them safely off. /or passengers who did not speak 0nglish, trying to
understand what was happening was even harder. )$op%inson, p. -,-(
Works Cited
0ei%man, A.$., ,5 April -'-,. Affidavit. Titanic 8isaster $earing before a 9ubcommittee of the
1ommittee on 1ommerce, :nited 9tates 9enate, ,4-,. Retrieved April ;, ,4-5 from
http#<<www.encyclopedia-titanica.org<senate-titanic-in.uiry.html
$op%inson, 8., ,4-,. Titanic# =oices from the 8isaster. 9cholastic >ress.