Passenger steamship era and transatlantic travel networks (1870–1939)

1. Steam power reshapes Atlantic passenger routes

   Jan 1, 1870Labels: Screw steamship, Atlantic routes

   • Britannica
   • City Brussels

2. White Star’s Oceanic begins modern liner service

   Mar 2, 1871Labels: White Star, Oceanic

   • SS Oceanic
   • White Star

3. Steel-hulled liners and electric lighting appear

   Mar 1, 1881Labels: Cunard, Servia

   • SS Servia
   • Britannica

4. First purpose-built ocean cruise sets a model

   Jan 22, 1891Labels: HAPAG, Augusta Victoria

   • Hapag Lloyd
   • Britannica

5. Ellis Island opens as a federal immigration station

   Jan 1, 1892Labels: Ellis Island, U S

   • NPS Ellis
   • CBP Timeline

6. Large trusts attempt to control Atlantic shipping

   Oct 1, 1902Labels: International Mercantile, J P

   • IMM Co
   • NYT 1902

7. Titanic disaster accelerates international safety reform

   Apr 15, 1912Labels: RMS Titanic, Maritime safety

   • Britannica Titanic
   • UK Archives

8. First SOLAS convention signed in London

   Jan 20, 1914Labels: SOLAS 1914, London conference

   • UK Archives
   • Britannica SOLAS

9. World War I disrupts passenger liner networks

   Jul 28, 1914Labels: World War, Passenger liners

   • Britannica WWI
   • SS Imperator

10. 1917 U.S. law adds literacy test and exclusions

    Feb 5, 1917Labels: U S, Literacy test

    • Time 1917
    • 1917 Act

11. Emergency Quota Act limits immigration by nationality

    May 19, 1921Labels: Emergency Quota, U S

    • Quota Act
    • Time Quotas

12. Immigration Act of 1924 tightens quotas and adds visas

    May 24, 1924Labels: Immigration Act, Johnson Reed

    • 1924 Act
    • Immig Hist

13. Normandie’s maiden voyage highlights interwar competition

    May 29, 1935Labels: Normandie, French liner

    • SS Normandie
    • Mariners

14. Queen Mary enters service as Europe nears war

    Sep 1, 1939Labels: Queen Mary, RMS Queen

    • Queen Mary
    • Britannica WWII