NAME_______________________________
UK TOPIC #4 : 19th CENTURY HISTORY
1)
During the 1700s, Britain had gradually acquired an empire in the Americas, along the West
African coast and in India. The expansion of the UK allowed trade between these regions and
Britain to increase a great deal. This growth of business, together with many technical
breakthroughs in manufacture and transport, led to the Industrial Revolution – see 6) below!
2)
One section of the empire was Ireland. During the 1800s, it was part of the UK itself, and British
culture and way of life became dominant. In the 1840s, there was a terrible potato famine in
Ireland, and millions of Irish peasants either died or emigrated. By the end of the 19th century,
most of the surviving Irish people had changed from Gaelic to English as their first language.
3)
Another part of the British Empire was made up of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where
British settlers had become the majority. India, with its culture far more ancient than Britain’s,
became the “Jewel in the Crown” of the empire (in other words, the “most valuable part” of it).
Thousands of administrators were sent to India to govern the country, and the British built many
railways, schools and hospitals. Unfortunately though, the British tended to have an intolerant
attitude towards the local people, and this created much bad feeling towards the European
imperialist power.
4)
Soon, large parts of Africa also belonged to the UK. During the 19th century, there was a change in
attitudes which encouraged colonization. Previously, the idea was to own territory, but not
necessarily to govern it. Now, colonization had become a matter of destiny. Britain had become
extremely confident (even arrogant!) as a result of being politically stable and the world’s greatest
economic power. They came to see themselves as having a Christian duty to spread their culture
and civilization around the world.
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837-1901 – a long time!
5)
“Gin Lane” by William Hogarth : aspects of life in London
Queen Victoria became an increasingly popular symbol of Britain’s success in the world. A hardworking, religious mother of nine children, she showed complete loyalty to her husband and her
country. Unlike monarchs before her, she believed in setting a good example to her people. What
became known as Victorian values included duty, responsibility, respectable sexuality, and good
morals in general. Christian family values became very important during this period.
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6)
The Industrial revolution began in Britain in the textile industry. Before the 1750s, most people
worked in their cottages with their families. Travelling merchants brought the workers wool and
cotton, and collected the finished cotton to sell. As the demand for cotton grew dramatically, a
system of factories grew where a worker did just part of the whole job and machines were used,
instead of a worker making a whole product. This was the start of the Industrial Revolution – and
the start of people becoming a small link in a big chain.
19th century contrasts: Life in the industrial cities and towns…
…and a quiet life in the country
7)
Previously in the UK there had been two main social classes – the nobles and the peasants. These
were the upper and lower class respectively. During the Industrial Revolution, a middle class
developed. These people were the owners of factories, railways and mines, and some of them
became as rich as the upper classes.
8)
Many of the workers had moved into the cities from the country, and often lived under terrible
conditions with no job security. Sometimes streets were so full of smoke that you couldn’t see the
other side of the road!
9)
Most working class children did not have time to go to school or to play. Instead, they worked in
factories and mines along with the men and women. They were paid even less than the adults,
and because their bodies were still growing, children were sometimes damaged for life by the
work.
10)
Another change brought by the Industrial Revolution was the growth of cities. Previously, less
than 1% of people in the UK lived in cities. By 1900, the number had reached 75%. Soon, the cities
became overcrowded and houses could not be built fast enough. Sometimes more than ten people
lived in one room, and many people moved into damp cellars and rooms with no windows.
Epidemics of cholera, typhoid and other diseases were common, and the working class had a high
death rate.
11)
Many people in the middle and upper classes did not care about the suffering of the workers, but
some of them did believe that higher pay and better working conditions could still produce good
profits. The reformers began by starting schools, orphanages, and hospitals for the poor.
Improvements were slow, but gradually life became better for the working class.
12)
Writers and intellectuals of this period either protested against conditions in the industrial cities
(for example, Charles Dickens), or just ignored it. Many, especially the Romantic poets, wrote
about the beauty of the countryside and the benefits of country life. This was something new. In
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previous centuries, the countryside wasn’t something to be discussed or admired. But now, a
thousand fine country houses were built and the countryside became something attractive.
13)
As Britain’s Industrial Revolution was the world’s first, of course mistakes were made, especially
as it all happened so very quickly. Other European countries learned from these mistakes, and the
process of industrialization in those countries generally went more smoothly. There was less
exploitation, and workers’ conditions tended to be better. Today, factories as a means of
production are used all over the world, and often we do not know exactly where the product we
buy comes from or who made it. Today’s global trade is a long way away from Britain’s cottage
industry of 300 years ago!
14)
SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE 19TH CENTURY:
 1800 – The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is formed
 1829 – Robert Peel creates the first modern police force. The UK police are still sometimes
known as ‘bobbies’ (‘Bobby’ is a short form of the name ‘Robert’)
 1833 – The first law regulating factory working conditions limits the number of hours that
children are allowed to work
 1833 – slavery is made illegal throughout the British Empire
 1868 – The TUC, the first trade union organisation, is formed
 1886 – the first time an atheist is allowed to sit in Parliament
 1893 – the first socialist, Keir Hardie, is elected to Parliament. He enters Parliament for the
first time wearing a cloth cap (which remained a symbol of working men for many years)
QUESTIONS ON UK TOPIC #4
Answer the following in your own words:
1. Before the Industrial Revolution, where did most British people work?_________________________________
2. What is meant by "the textile industry"? ________________________________________________________
3. Which was the new social class that developed during the Industrial Revolution?________________________
4. Where did many lower class people move to in order to find work?___________________________________
5. What did most working class children do during the daytime?
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6. Many workers lived in poor, overcrowded conditions in British cities and towns. Why was this? (2 reasons 2 marks)
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7. Why was the process of industrialization less "painful" in other European countries?
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Adapted from O’Driscoll, Britain, and English Speaking World by Julian Goddard
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