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Titanic Survivors: One Ship, Two Different Worlds

Focusing on Details: Compare and Contrast

All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.

Introduction

Charlotte Cardeza occupied the largest and most expensive suite aboard the Titanic. Yum Hee travelled in steerage aboard the very same ship. Both survived the disaster and filed claims for lost property. As part of their claim, they included a list of the items they brought aboard with them.

These lists provide an insight into the vast class differences aboard this and many passenger ships. Examine these lists noting the major differences. What was the most expensive individual item lost by Charlotte Cardeza and Yum Hee?


Name:
Class:

Worksheet

Titanic Survivors: One Ship, Two Different Worlds

Focusing on Details: Compare and Contrast

Examine the documents included in this activity and write your response in the space provided.


Compare and contrast the list of items provided by Charlotte Cardeza and Yum Hee.

Your Response




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Conclusion

Titanic Survivors: One Ship, Two Different Worlds

Focusing on Details: Compare and Contrast

What do these lists reveal about the differences between passengers that traveled in first class and those that traveled steerage?

Your Response




Document

Claim of Charlotte D. M. Cardeza

1913

Charlotte Cardeza occupied the largest and most expensive suite aboard the Titanic. She survived the disaster and filed this claim for her lost property. As part of the claim, she included a list of the items she brought aboard with her.

This document comes from the “In the Matter of the Petition of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, for Limitation of its Liability as owner of the steamship TITANIC” case that began after the sinking of the Titanic. This case was initiated to limit the liability of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., for loss of life and property resulting from the sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. The case file contains court papers, evidence, and claims of survivors and representatives of the deceased.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 6210868
Full Citation: Claim of Charlotte D. M. Cardeza; 1913; In the Matter of the Petition of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, for Limitation of its Liability as owner of the steamship TITANIC; Admiralty Case Files, 1790 - 1966; Records of District Courts of the United States, ; National Archives at New York, New York, NY. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/claim-of-charlotte-d-m-cardeza, November 9, 2024]


Claim of Charlotte D. M. Cardeza

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Document

Claim of Yum Hee

1913

Yum Hee travelled in steerage aboard the Titanic. He survived the disaster and filed a claim for his lost property. As part of his claim, he included a list of the items he brought aboard with him.

He initially calculated the value of his items in British pounds (£) and then used the contemporary exchange rate (1 £ = $4.86) to convert his claim to U.S. Dollars. So, his items were worth 18 £, 14 s, or the equivalent of $91.85.

This document comes from the “In the Matter of the Petition of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, for Limitation of its Liability as owner of the steamship TITANIC” case that began after the sinking of the Titanic. This case was initiated to limit the liability of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., for loss of life and property resulting from the sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. The case file contains court papers, evidence, and claims of survivors and representatives of the deceased.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 6210878
Full Citation: Claim of Yum Hee; 1913; In the Matter of the Petition of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, for Limitation of its Liability as owner of the steamship TITANIC; Admiralty Case Files, 1790 - 1966; Records of District Courts of the United States, ; National Archives at New York, New York, NY. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/claim-yum-hee, November 9, 2024]


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