Queen Victoria was the Head of State in Britain and the British Colonies from June 20th, 1837 until her death on January 22nd, 1901. Thus, those living in Britain and in areas with British influence came to be referred to as Victorians. The Victorian era was characterized by a belief in self-help and progress. It was during the nineteenth century that many scientific discoveries were made, as science became more professionalized and the world became more accessible, due to improving transport links. Many influential books were written during this period, which shaped Victorian attitudes and believed and that continues to be popular even today. Here are some fun and interesting facts about the Victorian Era and Victorians.
Big boom for urbanization
One of the significant changes which occurred during the Victorian period was urbanization. People were leaving the countryside and the familiarity of rural life for the unknown world of industrial towns and cities. Industrialization really took off during the Victorian period and so lots of workers were needed to fill the factories. Initially, there were very few laws to prevent children from working in different occupations, and there was no compulsory schooling or formal education available. However, even though many people made their fortunes during the Victorian age, this was also the age of philanthropy.
Age of philanthropy
Indeed, although science was prominent during the Victorian age, people still clung on to their religious beliefs. Many people who had become wealthy decided to give something back to their community and not only donated money but also got involved in creating societies and looking for ways to improve the world around them. Alongside the wealth being generated during the Victorian era, there was also a great deal of poverty (see facts about poverty). The East End of London was often put in the same category as ‘darkest Africa’ in that there was ignorance, lack of religious belief, and immorality. The drink was seen as a great evil, and the temperance movement grew in popularity.
Awesome stuff during the Victorian era
During the Victorian Era, the population of England increased dramatically as it became 32.528 million in 1901 from 13.897 million in 1831. The Victorians were the first to initiate the Industrial Revolution. Invented new communication technology and improved the existing ones, including building modern ships, trains, improving the railway system, and many more. They explored the technology that is currently in use in cars and aircraft. They also made a significant contribution to other technologies such as cinema, telegraph, and telephone.
Victorian Architecture
The architectures build by the Victorians are widely known as Victorian Architecture. Some of the most magnificent buildings in the world are from the Victorian Architecture, including the Manchester Town Hall of England. The Victorians also promoted new fashion trends and culture, along with literature and visual arts. The contemporary fashion designs, arts, or literature influenced by such works are generally called as “Victorian.”
Things didn’t go so well
As the Victorian era progressed, there was the recognition that individual philanthropy didn’t always go far enough, and so legislation was introduced to put some safeguards in place to protect the most vulnerable in society, especially children. There was even provision for compulsory elementary education, which allowed more children to learn to read and write. Towards the end of the Victorian period, there was growing pessimism about the state of society, and there was a concern that degeneration was taking place, especially during the Boer War when Britain was struggling to find suitable recruits to join the army. This was when the idea of eugenics began to gain ground in certain circles.
The ups and downs of the Victorian era
There were many political, social, cultural and economic upheavals which took place during the Victorian period and many scientific discoveries which would change the world forever, which is why the Victorians are so interesting to study.
