What was the Victorian era?
The Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 1837 to 1901. It was a time of rapid industrial growth, scientific progress, imperial expansion and social change in Britain.
During the Victorian era, Britain became the world's leading industrial and colonial power. The British Empire grew to cover a large part of the world.
Railways spread across the country, and new technologies such as the telegraph, photography and the telephone changed daily life.
Society and culture
Cities grew rapidly, and many people lived in poor, overcrowded conditions. Reformers campaigned for better housing, education and working conditions.
Writers such as Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters and Thomas Hardy described Victorian life. Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859.
The Great Exhibition of 1851 showcased British industry and inventions in the Crystal Palace.
Victorian values, such as hard work, respectability and moral strictness, influenced society. Many buildings, parks and railway stations from the period remain across Britain today.
The period also saw the expansion of voting rights, the growth of trade unions and the introduction of compulsory primary education in the 1870s and 1880s.