HISTORY OF THE VICTORIAN ERA

By: Caitlin Sands

TIMELINE 1837: Queen Victoria claims the throne 1845: Beginning of the potato famine in Ireland;

Ireland’s population decreases by 50% 1848: Cholera epidemic; nearly 2,000 deaths a

week 1854: The UK declares war on Russia 1857: The Indian Mutiny; directly results in Great

Britain assuming direct control over India 1859: Charles Darwin publishes On The Origin of

Species 1888: Jack The Ripper murders 5 prostitutes 1891: The Elementary Education Act makes

education for children under the age of 10 free 1901: Death of Queen Victoria

VICTORIAN POETRY The Victorian Era was a time of great

social and economic change, and this was reflected in its poetryElizabeth Barret Browning conveyed a

message of feminism in her famous poem, Aurora Leigh

Aestheticism emerged during the periodThis movement, both in visual and literary

art, focused on visual details and beauty in art rather than the moral value or biblical message.