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Several of the wealthiest and most prominent persons in the world were passengers on the Titanic for its prestigious maiden voyage.  To their credit, they voluntarily went down with the ship and died rather than take a spot on a lifeboat from others.

Several of the wealthiest and most prominent persons in the world were passengers on the Titanic for its prestigious maiden voyage.  To their credit, they voluntarily went down with the ship and died rather than take a spot on a lifeboat from others.

A full passenger list is available that highlights who survived and who did not.[http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/exhibits/titanic/p2.htm]

A full passenger list is available that highlights who survived and who did not.<ref>http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/exhibits/titanic/p2.htm</ref>

Prominent Americans who went down with the ship included Mr. Benjamin Guggenheim, of the family that donated the Guggenheim Museum of modern art in New York City, Major Archibald Butt, a military aide to President Taft, and Colonel J.J. Astor, whose great grandfather was the wealthiest American prior to the Civil War.  Colonel J.J. Astor was an inventor and science fiction writer who helped build three great hotels in New York City: the Astoria (now the Waldorf-Astoria), the Knickerbocker, and the St. Regis.[http://www.britannica.com/titanic/astor.html]

Prominent Americans who went down with the ship included Mr. Benjamin Guggenheim, of the family that donated the Guggenheim Museum of modern art in New York City, Major Archibald Butt, a military aide to President Taft, and Colonel J.J. Astor, whose great grandfather was the wealthiest American prior to the Civil War.  Colonel J.J. Astor was an inventor and science fiction writer who helped build three great hotels in New York City: the Astoria (now the Waldorf-Astoria), the Knickerbocker, and the St. Regis.<ref>http://www.britannica.com/titanic/astor.html</ref>

==Inquiries==

==Inquiries==

Inquiries conducted in both Great Britain and the United States determined a number of factors which contributed to the loss of the ship and passengers.

Inquiries conducted in both Great Britain and the United States determined a number of factors which contributed to the loss of the ship and passengers.

The watertight compartments were designed without capping at the top; water filling the six ruptured compartments pulled the bow of the ship down far enough that water spilled over the top of the next compartment in line.  ''Titanic'' also had 16 standard lifeboats and 4 collapsibles, with enough combined space to carry 1,178 passengers, far short of the 2,224 persons aboard; many of the lifeboats were lowered down the side only partialy filled with passengers (many of those remaining onboard initially believed the ship to be "unsinkable").  Although the number of lifeboats was determined to be inadequate, [http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOTReport/BOTRepRec.php#a2] the Titanic had in actuality exceeded the British Board of Trade's lifeboat regulations, which had been written down for much smaller ships.

The watertight compartments were designed without capping at the top; water filling the six ruptured compartments pulled the bow of the ship down far enough that water spilled over the top of the next compartment in line.  ''Titanic'' also had 16 standard lifeboats and 4 collapsibles, with enough combined space to carry 1,178 passengers, far short of the 2,224 persons aboard; many of the lifeboats were lowered down the side only partialy filled with passengers (many of those remaining onboard initially believed the ship to be "unsinkable").  Although the number of lifeboats was determined to be inadequate, <ref>http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOTReport/BOTRepRec.php#a2</ref> the Titanic had in actuality exceeded the British Board of Trade's lifeboat regulations, which had been written down for much smaller ships.

Both inquiries also determined that part of the blame for the high loss of passengers rested with Captain Stanley Lord of the liner ''Californian'', which was stopped for the night by an ice field some twenty miles from ''Titanic''.  The board members alleged that ''Californian'' could have aided ''Titanic'' had its radio operator been on duty after 11:00 pm, and able to hear its distress signals.  Indeed, it was determined that officers on the bridge of the ''Californian'' had seen distress lights from what they considered to be a "large passenger steamer", keeping under observation until the lights vanished after 2:00 am, but doing nothing further than that [http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOTReport/BOTRepCalifornian.php].

Both inquiries also determined that part of the blame for the high loss of passengers rested with Captain Stanley Lord of the liner ''Californian'', which was stopped for the night by an ice field some twenty miles from ''Titanic''.  The board members alleged that ''Californian'' could have aided ''Titanic'' had its radio operator been on duty after 11:00 pm, and able to hear its distress signals.  Indeed, it was determined that officers on the bridge of the ''Californian'' had seen distress lights from what they considered to be a "large passenger steamer", keeping under observation until the lights vanished after 2:00 am, but doing nothing further than that <ref>http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOTReport/BOTRepCalifornian.php</ref>.

Of the passengers who went into the water, only six were pulled out alive, and only by efforts of surviving officers in several boats going through a sea of bodies.  Hypothermia killed the remainder, as the water was about 29 degrees farenheit.  Many of those who perished came from wealthy, prominent families in Europe and America, among them the heirs to the Straus fortune and the owners of Macy's department store in New York City.  The disaster also had its heroes, such as the ship's band assembled on the stern in order to keep remaining passengers calm; and the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, who forcibly took the tiller away from a rowboat crewman and forced everyone in her lifeboat to go back for people in the water. [http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic_victims/][http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/manifest.php?q=5]

Of the passengers who went into the water, only six were pulled out alive, and only by efforts of surviving officers in several boats going through a sea of bodies.  Hypothermia killed the remainder, as the water was about 29 degrees farenheit.  Many of those who perished came from wealthy, prominent families in Europe and America, among them the heirs to the Straus fortune and the owners of Macy's department store in New York City.  The disaster also had its heroes, such as the ship's band assembled on the stern in order to keep remaining passengers calm; and the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, who forcibly took the tiller away from a rowboat crewman and forced everyone in her lifeboat to go back for people in the water. <ref>http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic_victims/</ref><ref>http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/manifest.php?q=5</ref>

As a result of the loss of ''Titanic'', in 1913 the first International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea was opened in London, England. Among the rules drawn up were requirements that each voyage hold lifeboat drills; that every ship have lifeboat space for each person onboard; and ships maintain a 24-hour radio watch. The International Ice Patrol was also created to keep watch on North Atlantic sea lanes and give ships adequate warnings of icebergs found.  The United States Congress also passed the Wireless Ship Act in 1912; it stipulated that all vessels carrying more than 50 people and traveling more than two hundred miles off the coast carry a wireless capable of at least a 100-mile range.

As a result of the loss of ''Titanic'', in 1913 the first International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea was opened in London, England. Among the rules drawn up were requirements that each voyage hold lifeboat drills; that every ship have lifeboat space for each person onboard; and ships maintain a 24-hour radio watch. The International Ice Patrol was also created to keep watch on North Atlantic sea lanes and give ships adequate warnings of icebergs found.  The United States Congress also passed the Wireless Ship Act in 1912; it stipulated that all vessels carrying more than 50 people and traveling more than two hundred miles off the coast carry a wireless capable of at least a 100-mile range.

Books and novels have been written about the ''Titanic'' ever since its infamous sinking. The most well-known of these novels is ''[[A Night to Remember]]''. In 1997, director James Cameron produced the highest-grossing film in history, ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]''. However, this film is inaccurate in several areas. For one thing, it depicted the men on board as cowardly. In real life, most of them willingly stood aside while the women and children got into the lifeboats. In the film, they had to be held back at gunpoint, and two were killed. It also showed an officer shooting himself in the head to avoid freezing to death. It also depicts Captain Edward Smith dying in the wheel room. This also is inaccurate, because several survivor accounts actually mention him swimming in the water, encouraging those clinging to a nearby capsized lifeboat before drowning.

Books and novels have been written about the ''Titanic'' ever since its infamous sinking. The most well-known of these novels is ''[[A Night to Remember]]''. In 1997, director James Cameron produced the highest-grossing film in history, ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]''. However, this film is inaccurate in several areas. For one thing, it depicted the men on board as cowardly. In real life, most of them willingly stood aside while the women and children got into the lifeboats. In the film, they had to be held back at gunpoint, and two were killed. It also showed an officer shooting himself in the head to avoid freezing to death. It also depicts Captain Edward Smith dying in the wheel room. This also is inaccurate, because several survivor accounts actually mention him swimming in the water, encouraging those clinging to a nearby capsized lifeboat before drowning.

==Further reading==

==Further reading==