Historical Time Period

1900-1912

In the early 1900s, cars were just being invented. The

carriage age in America only lasted about 60 years. From 1850 to 1910, carriages were a popular form of transportation, making this a key piece of evidence for this time period. This information is also very accurate because that was the main form of transportation at the time. Trains were used for long distance trips, but carriages were used the most.

Page 6Paragraph 2“..horse-drawn wagons trotting down cobble stone streets.”

This picture was taken in July, 1907

When I first read this sentence, I didn’t even know what a

carpetbag was. After I did my research I learned that they were small or large purses used in the 19th and early 20th century for traveling. They were normally made from rugs, so they were named carpetbags.

Carpet bags are still made today, but they aren’t made out of rugs like they used to be. Since the children in the book are using them, it indicates an earlier time in history.

Page 30Paragraph 2“While Mimi and I stuffed ragdolls and nightgowns into our carpetbags..”

This is a carpet bag from 1866.

Racial segregation and inequality has been

in the United States from the 17th century all the way up to 1960. Even today racism continues to be a problem. Racial discrimination wasn’t banned until the mid-1900s. Although African-Americans were free, they were not treated as equals, the quote above supports that.

Page 71Paragraph 1“The problem with the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.”

Cars had just come out around this time. Also, the

fact that she said automobile instead of car is a clue of an earlier time.

Page 76Paragraph 2“We had taken a ride to Buffalo with my Aunt Lily in her new automobile.”

This early car from Audi was manufactured in 1911. This is what the car in the book most likely looked like.

Obviously, since they are having their first

experience with a phone, this was a long time ago. Also, we don’t call them telephones anymore. Its just a phone.

However, I don’t know how accurate this is because the first telephone call was placed in 1892. That would mean they would be having their first experience with a phone 20 years after they were used.

Page 128Paragraph 1“…of our first experience with the telephone.”

This is a phone that was used in 1908. It is called a candlestick telephone.

President William Howard Taft’s term in office was

from 1909-1913, making this quote from the book accurate.

William Stead was also a real person, and was in fact invited by the president to attend a world peace conference, which is why he boarded the Titanic. Not only did Stead predict that the ship was going to sink, but he also said that

he would die by ice. Unfortunately, he was correct.

Page 147

Paragraph 7

“Stead has been invited by President Taft to attend a world peace conference.”

Pre

side

nt T

aft

William Stead

World War 1 occurred from 1914 to 1918.

Considering it is 1912 during the quote, clues would be arising about the upcoming war. The majority of the counties involved in the war were from Europe, and since there were a lot of European passengers aboard the Titanic, it would make sense that some people would know things about what was going to happen. There wouldn’t have been anything like it before, since it was World War 1, the first war of its kind.

Page 148

Paragraph 3

“A world war?” Agatha questioned skeptically. “There has never been such a thing..”

In this day and age, modern magicians are not the

famous for their work. The magicians we have today are mostly ones in the circus and street magicians. Also, less people still think that magicians really perform magic, which causes them to be less popular.

Harry Houdini was a real person, and lived during this time. However his real name was not Harry Houdini, it was Enrich Weiss. At the time in the novel, 1912, he hadn’t legally changed his name yet.

Page 189

Paragraph 4

“You’re Harry Houdini, the magician!”

Harry Houdini was also a famous escape artist. He is shown wearing handcuffs to the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r8qr-p9z5g In this video, Harry Houdini performs one of his famous acts, a straight jacket escape.

Ragtime Mocking Bird was indeed a

song from 1912 and was written by Irving Berlin. Irving Berlin is a composer and considered to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

Page 275

Paragraph 3

“…Ragtime Mocking Bird, written by a popular songwriter named Irving Berlin.”

Mrs. Brown was a real person and survivor of the

Titanic. Although she was referred to as Molly in the book, she went by Maggie, but only after she died because of a 1960 musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Maggie Brown is credited for her heroic acts during the sinking of the ship.

A short chip about Molly Brown:

http://www.history.com/videos/titanic-what-happened-after---first-class-passengers#titanic-what-happened-after---first-class-passengers

Page 286

Paragraph 3

“We felt the impact,” Mrs Brown said.

"Author's Note." Distant Waves. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.

"Berlin Irving - Ragtime Mocking Bird (25 Jan 1912) Lyrics." Song Lyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. <http://www.songlyrics.com/berlin-irving/ragtime-mocking-bird-25-jan-1912-

lyrics/>.

Bio. True Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. <http://www.biography.com/people/william-howard-taft-9501184>.

"Carpetbag." The Story of Virginia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/carpetbag.htm>.

"Downtown Street Scenes." The Stamford Historical Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. <http://www.stamfordhistory.org/ph_0304.htm>.

"'Handcuff' Harry Houdini, circa 1905." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013.

Harry Houdini- Straight Jacket Escape. Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r8qr-p9z5g>.

"Introduction: Transportation in America and the Carriage Age." Park City History. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. <http://www.parkcityhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Teacher-

Background-Information.pdf>.

"Irving Berlin." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Berlin>.

"Non-dial Candlestick Stromberg Carlson 1908." Spark Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

"NSU 8/24 hp automobile, 1912." Audi. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.audiusa.com/com/brand/en/company/audi_history/model_evolution/1901-1918/nsu/

1912_8_24_ps_automobil.html>.

"Quick Facts." Bio. True Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. <http://www.biography.com/people/william-howard-taft-9501184>.

"Racism and Ethnic Discrimination in the United States." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_and_ethnic_discrimination_in_the_United_States>.

"Telephone." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone>.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown. History. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://www.history.com/videos/titanic-what-happened-after---first-class-passengers#titanic-what-happened-

after---first-class-passengers>.

Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet_bag>.

"William Thomas Stead." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Thomas_Stead>.

"World War I." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_1>.