Victorian era

The Victorian era takes its name from Queen Victoria, who came to the British throne in 1837 and reigned until her death in 1901. It was a time of rapid industrialization, with the spread of railways, steamships and the telegraph, and of rapid urban growth in cities such as Manchester and London. Britain built the largest empire in history, expanded the vote through successive reform acts, and saw major advances in public health, education and science, including Darwin's theory of evolution. The period also brought deep social contrasts, from the wealth of industrialists to child labor and overcrowded slums, which reformers, novelists such as Charles Dickens, and later legislation sought to address. Its tastes in architecture, literature and moral outlook left a strong imprint on British culture.

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