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The Victorian Era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. It is often defined as the years from 1837 to 1901, when Queen Victoria reigned, though many historians consider the passage of the Reform Act of 1832 to mark the true inception of a new cultural era. The Victorian era was preceded by the Georgian era and came before the Edwardian period.
The period is ostensibly characterised as a long period of peace and economic, colonial and industrial consolidation, temporarily disrupted by the Crimean War. Towards the end of the century, the policies of New Imperialism led to increasing colonial conflicts and eventually the Boer War. Domestically, the agenda was increasingly liberal with a number of shifts in the direction of gradual political reform and the widening of the franchise.
The House of Commons was dominated by the two parties, the Liberals and the Tories, led, respectively, by William Gladstone and Benjamin DisraeliThis page is about the 19th century British statesman. For the movie, see Disraeli (movie). Benjamin Disraeli 1st Earl of Beaconsfield ( December 21, 1804 April 24, 1881), the son of Isaac D'Israeli, was a British politician and author who entered Parliam for much of the era. The unsolved problems relating to IrelandThe island of Ireland ire in Irish, Airlann in Ulster Scots) is the third-largest island in Europe. It lies on the west side of the Irish Sea, close to the island of Great Britain. It is composed of the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Irelan played a great part, particularly in view of Gladstone's determination to achieve a political settlement.
In January 1858Events January 14 Felice Orsini and his accomplices fail to assassinate Napoleon III in Paris but their bombs kill 156 bystanders. Because of the involvement of French emigres living in Britain, there is a brief anti-British feeling in France but the empe, Palmerston responded to the Orsini plot against French emperor Napoleon III, the bombs for which were purchased in Birmingham, by attempting to make such acts a felony, but the resulting uproar forced him to resign.
In July 18661866 is a common year starting on Monday. Events January 6 Ottoman troops clash with men of a Maronite leader Karam in St. Doumit in Lebanon Turks are defeated January 12 Royal Aeronautical Society is formed ( London) January 28 800 Maronite troops clash, an angry crowd in LondonLondon is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England, and with over seven million inhabitants in the Greater London area, is the second-most populous conurbation in Europe (after Moscow). From being Londinium the capital of the Roman province of Bri, protesting Russell's resignation as prime minister, was barred from Hyde Park by the police; it tore down iron railings and tramples the flower beds. Disturbances like this convinced Derby and Disraeli of the need for further parliamentary reform.
During 1875 Britain purchased Egypt's shares in the Suez Canal as the African nation was forced to raise money to pay of its debts.
In 1882 Egypt became a protectorate of Great Britain after British troops occupy land surrounding the Suez Canal in order to secure the vital trade route, and the passage to India.
In 1884 the Fabian Society was founded in London by a group of middle-class intellectuals, including Quaker Edward Pease, 17, Havelock Ellis, 25, and Edith Nesbit, 26, to promote socialism. George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells would be among many famous names to later join this society.
On Sunday, November 13, 1887, tens of thousands of people, many of them socialists or unemployed, gathered in Trafalgar Square to demonstrate against the government. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Charles Warren ordered armed soldiers and 2,000 police constables to respond. Rioting broke out, hundreds were injured and two people died. This event was referred to as Bloody Sunday.