Victorian period

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she had the additional title of Empress of India. Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, the fourth son of King George III. Both the Duke of Kent and King George III died in 1820, and Victoria was raised under close supervision by her German-born mother Princess Victoria. She inherited the throne aged 18, after her father's three elder brothers had all died, leaving no surviving legitimate children.

Queen Victoria Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert, in 1840. Their nine children married into royal and noble families across the continent. After Albert's death in 1861, Victoria plunged into deep mourning and avoided public appearances. Her reign of 63 years and seven months is known as the Victorian era. It was a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire.

Victorian empire During the Victorian age, Britain was the world's most powerful nation. Though not always effortlessly, it was able to maintain a world order which rarely threatened Britain's wider strategic interests. The single European conflict fought during Victoria's reign - the Crimean War of 1854 – 1856. In 1882 Britain was in the later stages of acquiring the largest empire the world had ever seen. By the end of Victoria's reign, the British empire extended over about one-fifth of the earth's surface and almost a quarter of the world's population at least theoretically owed allegiance to the 'queen empress'.

Industrial revolution Victoria came to the throne during the early, frenetic phase of the world's first industrial revolution. Industrialisation brought with it new markets, a consumer boom and greater prosperity for most of the propertied classes. It also brought rapid, and sometimes chaotic change as towns and cities expanded at a pace which precluded orderly growth.

Crimean war The Crimean War, also known in Russian historiography as the Eastern War of 1853–1856 (October 1853 – February 1856), was a conflict in which Russia lost to an alliance of France, the United Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia. The Crimean War was one of the first conflicts to use modern technologies such as explosive naval shells, railways, and telegraphs. The war was one of the first to be documented extensively in written reports and photographs. As the legend of the "Charge of the Light Brigade demonstrates, the war quickly became an iconic symbol of medical and tactical failures and mismanagement. The reaction in the UK was a demand for professionalization, most famously achieved by Florence Nightingale ,who gained worldwide attention for pioneering modern nursing while treating the wounded.

Literature in the Victorian era Authors at the time…. Charles Dickens Bronte Sisters William Thackeray Alfred Tennyson- poetry Thomas Hardy Algernon Swineburne Victorian novels tend to be idealised portraits of difficult lives in which hard work, perseverance and luck help them in the end. Much of the writing during this time was a reaction to the rapidly changing notions of science, morality, and society. Victorian writers also reacted to the writings of previous generations.

Victorian Literature Charles Dickens dominated the first part of Victoria's reign: his first novel, Pickwick Papers, was published in 1836. Vanity fair- William Makepeace Great expectations- Charles Dickens Idylls of the king- Alfred Tennyson A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens Jane Eyre- Charlotte brontë Pride and prejudice- Jane Austen

Main events 1840- queen married prince Albert 1842- Assassination attempt on queen v by john Francis. 1843- Charles dickens published a Christmas carol 1854-Crimean war fought by Britain and France against Russia. 1856- Britain defeated Russia in the Crimean war 1861- Death of prince Albert 1868- The last public hanging 1870- Schools provided for 5-10 year olds 1901- Queen Victoria died and her son Edward takes over