In the period before Queen Victoria came into power citizens were obsessed with social standings. Higher class people would look down their noses at the peasants and the working class. They would not go anywhere near each other but during the Queens reign social standings didn’t matter so much, the different classes would be rubbing shoulders on horse drawn carriages.
Charles Darwin’s findings on where humans came from were a shock to the society as he thought that we were evolved from apes and had evidence to support his findings. This went against the idea that we came from evolution which is where we were created by God.
The 1832 Reform Act was introduced to parliament by the Whigs, in 1831, but it did not pass through the parliament easily, it was declined. The Whigs then formed another government due to fierce opposition from the Liberal Democrats, and introduced the second Reform Bill. Then again the House of Lords refused to pass the bill this is when riots started to break out. The Whigs then introduced a third bill but yet again it was shot down by the Lords. The Whigs resigned and the conservatives were too disunited to form another government. June 1832 was when the Reform Bill was finally passed. The Act granted the vote to manufacturers and merchants, and vote numbers raised from 435000 to 652000. Every man owning or renting a property worth more than £10 per year got the vote in Boroughs and in counties, they had to be making £2 per year. This assured lower class people could still not vote as they thought they would not understand how to vote. This meant only 5 out of 6 males had the vote. Before this act was passed in elections there were no uniform rules and there was no secret ballot.
Before 1832 emigration was not an everyday occurrence. Emigration became very common in 1832. Many of the émigrés’ were Scots moving from their home towns to places like Canada, USA and Australia. They moved for better job opportunities, better wages and a better way of life for themselves and their family. Many did not receive this they sometimes they found out that the conditions were worse than those they had already encountered at home. Some of the émigrés got a better lifestyle. They received increased wages and better housing than the tenements they used to live in, which were disease ridden, they also had better health care.
The 1830s and 1840s were a time of trouble in Victorian Britain. This was the time of starvation and when corn and bread prices went through the roof. Many people could not afford food for their families and many died because of this.
During the time Britain was under the power of Queen Victoria industrialisation was at its peak. This was helped by the power of the railways, many goods and parts could be transported faster now due to the steam powered trains. Many were against railways as ministers called it the work of the devil and doctors said humans could not survive at the speed of 42 mph, also farmers were against it as well, as they believed that the train would burn their crops and scare their animals.
Poverty was a big problem during Victorian Britain as many had lost their jobs and could not afford to pay their rent or feed their families. Homeless men and women, often with children, would queue for hours to get a place in Casual Wards where they would at least have a roof on top of their heads to keep dry, but in the wards they didn’t have beds they had to sleep on a rope which were hung from one side of the room to the other this was cheaper than beds and they could fit more people into the wards.
The Factory Act of 1802 – 1878 gave workers the right to work just 16 hours a day, they also could not employee children under the age of 10 and women to work in coal mines. This increased regulation on labour in mines and factories.
The Victorian era brought many social changes to Britain. Britain became more of a democratic society with more men being allowed to vote and have a say in the running of the country. Women gained a few rights but there were still high levels of inequality. Children had a slightly easier life thanks to the factory act. The wealthier people gained more of a social conscience in regard to the welfare of the poorest working class citizens. Making people more aware of the help needed to make life easier, enjoyable and healthier for everyone.
Steffani Mowat.
