Brunel and British Industry
A global power1714 to 1901
Isambard Kingdom Brunel came from Portsmouth, England, and grew into one of the era's great engineers. Across his career he built tunnels, bridges, railway lines and ships, work that reshaped how people and goods moved around Britain. His Great Western Railway linked London with the south west, the West Midlands and Wales, and many of his bridges still carry traffic today.
British industry led the world at the time, and no other country produced so much. British industry in the 19th century produced more than half the world's supply of iron, coal and cotton cloth.
The Empire was of enormous reach too. During the Victorian period the Empire's lands stretched to cover India, Australia and large parts of Africa, and it became the largest empire the world had seen.
What to remember
| Isambard Kingdom Brunel | being an engineer who built tunnels, bridges, railway lines and ships Originally from Portsmouth. |
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| British industry in the 19th century | producing more than half of the world's iron, coal and cotton cloth It led the world, the handbook says. |
| Isambard Kingdom Brunel | Portsmouth, England The handbook says originally from, not born in. |
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| The lands the British Empire grew to cover in the Victorian period | all of India, Australia and large parts of Africa The largest empire the world had seen, with more than 400 million people. |
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Everything in A global poweror the whole course, from the beginning