1907

Plans are made to build the luxury ship Titanic.

1908-1909

Construction of the Titanic begins in Belfast, Ireland.

1911

The hull of Titanic is successfully launched.

1912

January: Sixteen wooden lifeboats are fitted on board the Titanic.
March 31: The outfitting of the Titanic is complete.
April 10: Sailing Day:

9:30-11:30 a.m.: Passengers arrive in Southampton and board ship.
Noon: The Titanic casts off and begins her maiden voyage.
6:30 p.m.: The Titanic rides at anchor in Cherbourg, France.
8:10 p.m.: The Titanic leaves for Queenstown, Ireland

April 11
1:30 p.m.: The Titanic leaves Queenstown for New York.

April 12 and 13: The Titanic sails through calm waters.

April 14:= Sunday, several ice warnings are received during the day.
11:40 p.m.: The lookouts see an iceberg dead ahead. The iceberg strikes the Titanic on the starboard (right) side of her bow.
11:50 p.m.: Water has poured in and risen 14 feet in the front part of the ship.

April 15: Monday

12:00 a.m.: The captain is told the ship can only stay afloat for a couple of hours. He gives order to call for help over the radio.

12:05 a.m.: Orders are given to uncover the lifeboats and to get passengers and crew ready on deck. There is only room for half of the estimated 2,227 on board in the lifeboats.

12:25 a.m.: Lifeboats are now loading with women and children first. The Carpathia, southeast of the Titanic by about 58 miles, picks up the distress call and immediately heads full speed to the rescue.

12:45 a.m.: The first lifeboat is safely lowered away. If can carry 65 people, but only leaves with 28. The first distress rocket if fired. Eight rockets are fired the whole night.

1:15 a.m.: The tilt of the deck grows steeper. Lifeboats now begin to leave fully loaded.

1:40 a.m.: Most of the forward lifeboats have now gone. Passengers begin to move back to the stern area.

2:05 a.m.: The last lifeboat leaves. There are now over 1,500 people left on the ship. The tilt of Titanic’s deck grows steeper and steeper.

2:17 a.m.: The last radio call is sent. Captain Smith tells his crew “It’s every man for himself.” The bow plunges under, many passengers and crew jump off, slowly freezing. A funnel collapses, crushing several people.

2:18 a.m.: The ship’s lights blink once then go out. Several survivors see the ship break in two. The bow section sinks.

2:20 a.m.: The Titanic’s broken off stern settles back into the water, becoming more level for a few moments. Slowly it fills with water and again tilts its end high into the air before sinking into the sea. People in the water slowly freeze to death.

3:30 a.m.: The rescue ship Carpathia’s rockets are sighted by survivors in the lifeboats.

4:10 a.m.: The first lifeboat is picked up by the Carpathia.

8:50 a.m.: The Carpathia leaves the area bound for New York. She carries 705 survivors.

April 18: Tuesday
9:00 p.m.: The Carpathia arrives in New York.

April 19 to May 25: Several ships are sent to the disaster site to recover bodies. A total of 328 bodies are found floating in the area.