Victoria’s reign was the height of English power and influence as British industrial and military power peaked. However it was also a time when previously unheard voices in society, such as those of workers and women, clamoured to be heard. 1. Introduction. Defining the course and the period. A Victorian life. 2. Power to the people. How representative government grew in the period and the problems it faced, e.g. inner city sanitation. 3. The Poor. The Poor Law and other solutions for poverty. 4. Education. How a growing population needed both basic and further education. 5. Life in the Countryside. Changes and continuity in agricultural and rural life. 6. Conclusions. Victorian lives and objects.
Course aim
The course will consider the social and economic history of the Victorian period. Where possible the lives of real people will be used to illustrate general trends.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Identify the principal features of the Victorian Period.
- Analyse how governments reacted to pressure for improved education.
- Identify how local government expanded to deal with rising population.
- Recognise how rural life changed over the period.
What else do I need to know?
All you need to bring is an interest in the history of England during Victoria's reign.
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