The British ocean liner, the Lusitania, set sail from New York on May 1, 1915, with over 2000 passengers and crew on board. The ship was bound for Liverpool, England. Due to events that were occurring since the eruption of World War I in 1914, people were warned about the dangers of traveling on Allied ships during this time. On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat torpedoed the Lusitania which resulted in its sinking and impacted America's position on the war. View the video clips below to learn more about the ship's voyage and the people who were involved on this day.
Erik Larson provides brief context for conditions leading up to the sinking of the Lusitania. ** This clip is part of C-SPAN Classroom's FREE resources for teachers and students. Visit www.c-spanclassroom.org for more info. *
