Name:
Sinking of the Lusitania
World War I was raging in Europe by 1915. Many countries were doing anything
they could to prevent their enemy from gaining the upper hand. The Germans
created what were called U-boats (short for the German word Unterseeboot
which in English means submarine). These U-boats roamed the Atlantic Ocean
with orders to sink any ship with a torpedo (an underwater missile) going to
Britain because it could be supplies for the British. If the Germans could stop
these boats then they would gain the upper hand in the war.
On Saturday, May 1, 1915, the largest passenger ship in the world, Lusitania, set
sail from Pier 54 in New York, headed for Liverpool, England. On board were 702
crew members, 1,257 passengers, and the captain, William Thomas Turner. Of the
passengers, 159 were Americans and 168 were infants and children. Besides
carrying people, the Lusitania also carried typical cargo as well as 4,200 cases of
munition. Munition is ammo for weapons that can be used in war.
On Friday, May 7, the Lusitania neared the Irish coast, and everyone was relieved
to think they had sailed the ocean without incident. However, it was troubling to
discover that the waters were empty. Irish ships were scheduled to escort the
Lusitania into shore, but they were nowhere to be found. Instead, a German Ubat shot a torpedo at the ship. It tore a hole in the Lusitania. Many people were
killed instantly. The ship tipped back and forth, causing the lifeboats to crash
against its sides. Hundreds of evacuees were thrown into the water. In eighteen
minutes, the Lusitania–which was supposed to be unsinkable–had sunk. The
captain stayed until the end, eventually clinging to a floating chair for safety. The
survivors of the attack held pieces of wood and other buoyant objects to keep
themselves afloat. Six of the original forty-eight lifeboats made it safely to the
water. In all, more than 1,200 people died including children and infants.
Americans accounted for 128 of the dead.
U.S. President Wilson made a formal protest to the German government, which
issued an apology for the error. However, many Americans were outraged, as
were nations around the world. The sinking of the Lusitania became a rallying cry
for troops everywhere, and eventually it became one of the reasons for America’s
entry into the Great War.
Modified from: https://www.teachervision.com/tv/printables/TCR/1576901009_73.pdf
Part II: Questions
1. What war was raging in 1915?
a. World War I
b. World War II
c. The Civil War
2. What was a German U-Boat?
a. A tugboat
b. A submarine
c. A speed boat
3. What is a torpedo?
a. A gun
b. An underwater missile
c. An air missile
4. Why did the German U-Boats want to sink British ships?
a. To gain money
b. To gain the upper hand in the war
c. To gain political power
5. What was the Lusitania?
a. A warship
b. A small sail boat
c. A large passenger ship
6. How many total people were on board the Lusitania? (Hint: crew members
+ passengers = ?)
a. 1,759
b. 1,859
c. 1,959
7. Out of the total people on board, how many were Americans?
a. 159
b. 169
c. 179
Modified from: https://www.teachervision.com/tv/printables/TCR/1576901009_73.pdf
8. What sank the Lusitania?
a. Mechanical issues
b. The ship hit an iceberg
c. A torpedo from a U-Boat
9. On what date did the Lusitania sink?
a. April 2
b. May 7
c. July 4
10.How many people died when the Lusitania sunk?
a. None
b. 100
c. Over 1,200
Modified from: https://www.teachervision.com/tv/printables/TCR/1576901009_73.pdf