The adjective ‘Victorian', often appended to words to describe a way of life, thought, culture and politics, sprang from the reign of Queen Victoria, who ruled over Great Britain from 1837 to 1901. She was the longest reigning monarch in British History. The Victorian period was a prosperous period for Great Britain and its Empire, during which this island nation emerged as the most powerful country in the world.
At the end of the 19th century, the British Empire had extended its borders to the far reaching corners of the globe and Victoria was the most powerful sovereign of her time. It was also a prosperous period for Arts. However, this period was also marked by a huge gap between the rich and poor classes.
Born as Alexandrina Victoria in 1819, she ascended the throne in 1837 after the death of her uncle, William IV. Three years later, she married her cousin Prince Albert, and, together they raised nine children. In 1861, her husband died at the age of 42 from a bout of typhoid fever, following which she wore black for the reminder of her life in mourning for him.
In 1877, she was crowned Empress of India. In 1887 she celebrated the 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne with a banquet featuring royal kings and princes from across the continent. Following a reign of nearly 64 years, Queen Victoria died in 1901,leaving her son Edward VII as the heir and future king of England. Although she didn't play any major political role, her popularity among the masses was irrefutable. She was considered as the grand-mother of Europe, as her children and grandchildren married into the royal houses across Europe.
Tags: Victorian England, Political institutions in England, Literature during Victorian Era
[...] During the Boers war (1899-1902), the Boers defeated the British at Kroonstadt in South Africa The British Empire If one looks at a map representing the British Empire in 1899, we can see that British territories spread over one-fifth of the globe. The world's largest colonial empire that reached its pinnacle of might during the Victorian Period. IV. Arts during the Victorian Era The Victorian Period emerged as the ideal time for the development of arts as it was a prosperous economic time Literature Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the most widely read author of the Victorian era, was certainly the favorite writer of the Queen. [...]
[...] This period also saw the formulation and subsequent implementation of the three Reform Acts that enlarged the right to vote. With the Industrial Revolution striding ahead in full steam, trade unions were set up to to protect workers. In 1868, the Trade Union Congress set out to improve working conditions in mines and factories. The political scenario gradually shifting in favor of a democracy rather than a monarchy led to the founding of the independent Labor Party in 1893. Finally, there was the Education Act in 1870, the precursor for the provision of compulsory elementary education. [...]
[...] The Second Reform Act extended the right to vote to another part of the lower classes, and consequently doubled the electorate to almost 2 million in England and Wales. The third Reform Act tripled the electorate by extending the right to vote to agricultural laborers. By this time, voting had assumed the form of a basic right, rather than the property of the privileged. However, women still couldn't vote The working-class Although this period was economically prosperous, it was also marked by strong inequalities between the ‘haves' and the ‘have-nots' ; the poor remained impoverished while the affluent classes were rolling in money. [...]
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