VICTORIAN AGE : 1837-1901 longest period in the history of England.
It was characterized by: * Stability > political point of view. Two Prime Ministers Disraeli and Gladstone. They were good in both home and foreign affaires * Economical progress > industry substituted the old agricultural economy: new inventions steam engine and telephone that means that transports communications improved. * Democracy > people could participated in the government. Men started to have rights. * Social > aristocracy lose power. New social classes born such as working class. * Territorial expansions: India and Africa
THE PRESSURE FOR REFORM * During V.A. several reforms bills passed thank to Disraeli and Gladstone. * 1832 > the first reform bills passed. Excluded working class from the possibility to vote. * 1838 > working class presented the PEOPLE CHARTER which was a document that contains several points: - SECRET VOTE - POSSIBILITY TO BE ELECTED IN THE PARLIAMENT – VOTE FOR ALL MALES . * This document was rejected for 10 years. Then people maid petitions but the leaders of this movements were arrested. * In 1848 > the third petition was rejected. * Only between 1860 and 1914 > all the requests became laws. * The right to vote for all men was granted in 1918. * Women had the right to vote in the 1929.
THE GREAT EXHIBITION (1851) * Prince Albert, Victoria’s husband, organized in 1851 the first exhibition. * He affirmed that even poor people should be able to see works of art so he asked artists to make miniatures of the greatest works of art. * For the great Exhibitions he asked Paxton, a technician to build a very huge building in Hyde Park, in glass and iron > it was called the crystal palace. * It was destroyed during the war but than in was rebuilt. * Prince Albert whit this palace wanted to show world the power of Britain – how great Britain was. * Thank to P.A. a