An ocean liner is a passenger ship primarily used as a form of transportation across seas or oceans. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships).[1] Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes called liners.[2] The category does not include ferries or other vessels engaged in short-sea trading, nor dedicated cruise ships where the voyage itself, and not transportation, is the prime purpose of the trip. Nor does it include tramp steamers, even those equipped to handle limited numbers of passengers. Some shipping companies refer to themselves as "lines" and their container ships, which often operate over set routes according to established schedules, as "liners".

Ocean liners are usually strongly built with a high freeboard to withstand rough seas and adverse conditions encountered in the open ocean. Additionally, they are often designed with thicker hull plating than is found on cruise ships, and have large capacities for fuel, food and other consumables on long voyages.[3]

The first ocean liners were built in the mid-19th century. Technological innovations such as the steam engine and steel hull allowed larger and faster liners to be built, giving rise to a competition between world powers of the time, especially between the United Kingdom and Germany. Once the dominant form of travel between continents, ocean liners were rendered largely obsolete by the emergence of long-distance aircraft after World War II. Advances in automobile and railway technology also played a role. After RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 was retired in 2008, the only ship still in service as an ocean liner is the RMS Queen Mary 2.

The temperance movement, discouraging the use of alcoholic beverages, had been active and influential in the united states since at least the 1830s. since the use of alcohol was often associated with such social ills as poverty and insanity, temperance often went hand in hand with other reform movements. from the 1850s onward, the temperance movement focused much of its efforts on irish and german immigrants.temperance advocates did not always emphasize prohibiting the consumption of alcohol. but by the late 19th century, they did. the prohibition movement achieved initial successes at the local and state levels. it was most successful in rural southern and western states, and less successful in more urban states. by the early 20th century, prohibition was a national movement.prohibition exhibited many of the characteristics of most progressive reforms. that is, it was concerned with the moral fabric of society; it was supported primarily by the middle classes; and it was aimed at controlling the "interests" (liquor distillers) and their connections with venal and corrupt politicians in city, state, and national governments. still, it was not until u.s. entry into the great war that prohibitionists were able to secure enactment of national legislation. in 1918, congress passed the 18th amendment to the constitition, prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. states ratified the amendment the next year.herbert hoover called prohibition a "noble experiment," but the effort to regulate people's behavior soon ran into trouble. enforcement of prohibition became very difficult. soon, such terms as "bootlegger," "bath tub gin," and "speakeasy" became household words. gangs of hoodlums became more powerful as they trafficked in alcohol. by the 1930s, a majority of americans had tired of the noble experiment, and the 18th amendment was repealed.to search for additional documents in american memory, consider using such key words as temperance, prohibition, saloon, alcohol or alcoholic beverage, and women's christian temperance union.top of page