Canada's History on your doorstep
Discover a wealth of interesting, entertaining and informative stories in each issue, delivered to you six times per year.
Rebecca M.
Sidney, British Columbia
Other
The <em>Empress of Ireland</em>
The Empress of Ireland was a luxurious ship that sunk on May 29th 1914. About 1,012 people were killed during this disaster, yet many people do not know of it. This event took place about 2 years after the Titanic disaster, and a mere two months before the First World War broke out.
What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?
The most interesting thing that I learned was how this disaster happened by such chance. If it had been a clear night, or maybe if the <em>Storstad</em>'s bow had only sliced through one of the boiler rooms, the <em>Empress</em> may have stayed afloat, at least long enough to launch all the life boats and saved most of the people aboard.
What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?
I want to share with Canadians the story of the <em>Empress of Ireland</em>, its legends, its legacy, the people that perished, and why it is important to share this disaster with people so it is not truly forgotten.
How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?
Even thought our daily life's are much different from this time frame, an event like the <em>Empress of Ireland</em> disaster is possible to happen again. No matter how safe a ship is, it can still sink and kill hundreds of people. No ship is unsinkable.