Historical background - Victorian age

By chiarabb

  • Reform Act

    Progressive extension of the right to vote to the middle class and then to workers.
  • Queen Victoria’s reign begins

    Queen Victoria’s reign begins

    Queen Victoria comes to the throne after the death of William IV.
  • Industrial Revolution in full development

    Industrial Revolution in full development

    Growth of railways, factories, cities. New social classes and inequalities.
    Charles Dickens begins publishing (Oliver Twist, 1838).
  • The Great Exhibition

    The Great Exhibition

    Great Exhibition of Industry and Innovation: a symbol of British pride.
  • Crimean war

    Crimean war

    First "modern" conflict, followed by the press. Tennyson writes The Charge of the Light Brigade.
  • Charles Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species"

    Charles Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species"

    Theory of evolution: strong impact on religion, science and Victorian philosophy.
  • Death of Prince Albert

    Death of Prince Albert

    Husband of Queen Victoria. The queen goes into mourning and withdraws from public life for years.

  • Second Reform Act

  • Elementary Education Act

    Introduces compulsory primary education. Mass literacy

  • Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India

    The British empire reaches its maximum colonial expansion.

  • Technological and social progress

    Electricity, first cars, first colour photographs.
    Internal political and social tensions are also growing.

  • Death of Queen Victoria

    Official end of the Victorian era. The Edwardian Age begins.