Historical and social context: economic power, the British Empire, the Great Exhibition
During the Victorian age, Britain changed from an agricultural country into an industrial power. Steam power, railways and coal mining supported factory growth; people moved from the countryside to cities such as Manchester to find work. This urban growth brought prosperity to factory owners, merchants and bankers, while working-class people often faced long hours, dangerous workplaces and overcrowded, unsanitary housing.
Industrial wealth and social contrast
The Victorian Paradox describes the contrast between middle-class wealth and working-class hardship. The Great Exhibition, held in London in 1851 at the Crystal Palace, a building of glass and iron, presented Britain’s wealth and technological power. It reflected the country’s pride in being “the workshop of the world.”
Empire and change
- The British Empire extended across territories including India, parts of Africa, Canada and Australia. Its scale was captured in the saying “the sun never sets on the British Empire.” At home, working people sought political influence: the Chartists presented a People’s Charter demanding votes for all men, while trade unions organized for better pay and shorter hours. Together, industrial growth, imperial reach and social inequality define this period’s economic and social context.