Ship of the line

A heavily armed sailing warship built to fight in a line of battle, where ships exchanged broadsides. It dominated European naval warfare from the 17th through the 19th centuries.

Line of battle: A naval formation in which warships follow one another to bring their broadsides to bear. The ship's name comes from its role in this formation.
Battle of Sluys: A major naval battle fought between England and France in 1340, largely by boarding combat. It illustrates the earlier ship-to-ship fighting that preceded line-of-battle tactics.
Battle of Trafalgar: An 1805 naval battle in which the British fleet defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets. It is the best-known demonstration of ships of the line in a decisive fleet action.
Frigate: A fast warship smaller than a ship of the line, commonly used for scouting, patrol, and commerce raiding. Frigates served fleet functions that did not require the ship of the line's heavy armament.
Broadside: A simultaneous discharge of guns mounted along one side of a ship. The ship concentrated its firepower along its sides for fleet engagements.
Battle of the Armada: The 1588 naval campaign in which England resisted the Spanish Armada's invasion attempt. The campaign exposed the value of maneuver and gunfire in large fleet actions.
Battle of the Nile: A 1798 British victory over a French fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay, Egypt. The battle shows ships of the line attacking a fleet at anchor.
Steam frigate: A frigate propelled partly or wholly by steam, often retaining sails during the transition to steam power. Steam propulsion reduced dependence on wind and challenged the sailing ship's tactical limits.
Naval artillery: Guns and related weapons designed for use aboard ships. Its heavy guns determined the ship's combat power and tactical role.
Battle of Downs: A 1639 naval battle in which the Dutch destroyed much of a Spanish fleet in the Downs. Its use of concentrated gunfire helped establish the line of battle as a decisive tactic.

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