The Victorians- Who Were These People?

1. The Victorians- Who Were These People? Tyler Schumacher & Chris Asgian

2. What was Victorian England? • In the most basic sense, the term “Victorian” describes things and events from the reign of Queen Victoria • Victoria’s reign lasted a very long time (1837-1901), so the Victorian era is complex. The world was changing constantly during this time period and the beginning of the era was very different from the end of the era.

3. Beliefs • Science was an important force during this period • Sigmund Freud, Charles Darwin, and Karl Marx were alive during this period and their ideas became important • This was the first time period in which people questioned the conventions of organized religion • Agnosticism became more prevalent than ever • Thomas Henry Huxley famously wrote that he could not answer questions about the existence of God

4. Beliefs (cont’) • The Victorians are thought of as “prudish” mostly because they avoided sexual topics • They are often described as “sexually repressed” and myths have been made about them • An example of a myth is that they covered the legs of tables and pianos feeling that even those could not be “immodest” • Partially due to the influence of Huxley and Agnosticism, Utilitarianism rose as a philosophy of how to live • John Stewart Mill wrote a famous book on Utilitarianism • In this time gentlemanly behavior and ladylike behavior were stressed more than at almost any other period in history • Victorians acquired the image of being repressed and prudish partially because they found it so important to behave in a socially conventional way • This period is where many modern conventions regarding genteel behavior come from

5. Victorian Jobs • Occupations helped to carve out a very specific system of classes that characterized Victorian England • Two types of engineering (mechanical and civil) were important during this time period • Projects like railroad construction provided many jobs • The most common field of labor in the mid-late Victorian era was manufacturing, which should come as no surprise seeing as how this was the time of the Industrial Revolution

6. Results of 1871 Census on Occupations

7. Industry • Many aspects of the Victorian era were driven by industry • At this time, Britain produced half of its own iron, coal, and cotton cloth • Both good and bad came from Britain being an industrial giant • George P. Landow: “The Victorians invented the modern idea of invention” • Industry led to the rise of slums and also, of course, to rise of population in cities and decline of population in rural areas • Women and children worked in factories and mines but reform led to them being treated more humanely as time went on

8. Political Reform • This was a major period of reform • Feminism became an organized movement during the Victorian era • Because this was the time of the Industrial Revolution, workers unionized for the first time • It was made illegal for children under 18 to work 12 or more hours per day and illegal for children under 9 to work at all • Some reformers pushed for a complete overhaul of the monarchial government in favor of democracy, socialism, or Marxism

9. Hobbies, Activities, Past-times • During this time, blood sports like cockfighting and bear trapping became outlawed • Due to the enhancement of rail links, people often spent time on seaside visits • The beaches of Victorian England became major destinations because of accessibility • Theater, as in many eras throughout British history, was very popular • Improved railways allowed sporting teams to travel so travelling leagues were formed for sports like cricket, soccer and rugby • The invention of the moving picture near the end of the Victorian era added a new dimension to theater-going

10. Living Conditions • There was a great increase in population during the 19th century • Potato famine in Ireland • Increased population in cities • Industrial revolution • Rising gap between wealthy and impoverished • Appearance of “slums” • Disease, infections sweep slums • Lice, fleas, rotting gums

11. Daily Life • Working Class men spent their time working to pay for food • Working Class women either stayed home or educated kids • Kids were often forced to work to supplement the family • Many children also had to scavenge and steal to survive. • This created a hatred and distrust between the wealthy and the working class

12. Daily Life on the Farm • Victorian Industrial Revolution saw the introduction to new metal farming tools • Less workers needed • Farmers were essential to the Victorian economy • Paid rents to landlords and wealthy • Hired landless workers to farm • Sold products and food and helped to sustain the large population growth

13. Daily Life in the Factory • Work in factories was almost always unclean, unsafe, and noisy • Almost no safety regulations • Many children worked the most dangerous jobs for the smallest wages • Eventually, laws were passed to limit working hours, and make it impossible to be under 9 years old and have a job

14. Rich vs. Poor • The rich often lived in the nicest parts of the cities in the center • Many slums surrounded rich houses. • The wealthy did not need to work • Had servants • Lavish parties, feasts, holidays, travel • The poor often begged and roamed the streets in search of food • Wealthy saw these people as a danger to society • A distrust for the poor and a despising for the greed of the rich arose

15. Upper Class • Consisted of large families of 5 or 6 children • Children were scolded and disciplined • Children attended private school sessions to learn about how to be a gentleman • Parents did not do housework • Most important servants were the Chef and the butler • Many country people would work as servants because the job offered a place to live and work

16. Victorian Gentleman • Appearance and fashion were essential • For a gentleman to show his shirt sleeves was impolite • Wore perfume • Supposed to show respect to the people around them • Enormous fear of insulting anyone

17. Victorian Expressions and Slang • Bumper-filled glass • Cabbage-to steal • Gum-insulting language • Tantrums-violent angry outbursts • taken down a peg or two-humiliated • Regular brick-compliment about a man’s character