The Victorian Age
A global power1714 to 1901
A new era began when Queen Victoria became queen of the United Kingdom in 1837, and her reign is known as the Victorian Age. Industry and trade grew fast, and government policy shifted toward free trade. The repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 was part of that shift, ending the block on importing cheap grain. In 1847, the legal limit on working hours for women and children was set at 10 hours a day.
By 1851, British industry had grown enough to be shown off to the world: the Great Exhibition opened that year, with goods from Britain and from countries all over the world on display.
Britain was soon at war abroad. The start of the Crimean War came in 1853, with Britain fighting alongside Turkey and France against Russia. In 1854, Florence Nightingale went to Turkey to nurse the soldiers wounded in that war.
What to remember
| The repealing of the Corn Laws | 1846 Ended protection on grain imports, letting cheaper raw materials fuel British industry. |
|---|---|
| The start of the Crimean War | 1853 Britain, Turkey and France against Russia. It was the first war the newspapers covered closely. |
| The Great Exhibition | 1851 Held in Hyde Park in the Crystal Palace, a huge building of steel and glass; most exhibits were made in Britain. |
| Queen Victoria becoming queen of the UK | 1837 Began a 64-year reign, the longest of any British monarch up to 2013, naming the Victorian Age. |
| Florence Nightingale going to Turkey to nurse soldiers | 1854 She and her fellow nurses cut the mortality rate in military hospitals during the Crimean War. |
| The legal limit on working hours for women and children being set at 10 hours a day | 1847 Factory conditions gradually improved; in 1847 women's and children's hours were limited by law to 10 a day. |
| Became queen of the UK in 1837 | Queen Victoria |
|---|---|
| Went to Turkey in 1854 to nurse soldiers | Florence Nightingale |
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