The Temperance Movement was a social movement against the sale or drinking of alcoholic beverages. In Britain, the movement reached its peak in the mid-to-late 1800s, as alcohol consumption and alcohol-related violence was a wide-spread problem. Advocates formed numerous societies and associations to combat alcoholism, each group with their own ideas about how to go about stamping out the problem. Some advocated moderation in drinking, while others espoused complete abstinence; some focused on the religious message of temperance, while others sought to put pressure on the government to pass temperance legislation. The Central Association for Stopping the Sale of Intoxicating Liquor on Sundays, centered in Manchester, England, focused on petitioning Parliament to pass legislation that would close public houses and bars on Sundays. During the 1860s and 70s, the issue became highly politicized as the Temperance Movement became closely tied to the aims of the Liberal Party.