E X T E N S I O N THE VICTORIAN AGE (1837-1901) Queen Victoria The Victorian Age takes its name from Queen Victoria, who came to the throne1 in 1837 when she was only eighteen and reigned2 for sixty-four years, until her death in 1901. Britain was by then a constitutional monarchy , meaning that it was Parliament with its Prime Minister who actually governed the country. The queen, however, had an active role in its life for example she supported 150 institutions and charities3 and was seen as The Mother of the Nation. During her long reign, Britain became the most powerful country in the world. Its colonial4 empire was so large that, according to a common saying, it was the empire on which the sun never set , since the light of the sun always shone in some of its parts. The colonies meant new markets for British products and the possibility to get raw materials5 and control trade routes; all this greatly contributed to increase Britain s wealth and power. This age was a period of great contrasts because, while the upper and middle classes enjoyed great prosperity6, the working classes were exploited and lived in great poverty7. Industrialisation had begun in the previous century with the invention of the steam8 engine and steam-powered machines which revolutionised the textile industry9. In the Victorian period, many more inventions changed both industry and transport: railways quickly developed 5. raw materials: materials in their natural state. 6. prosperity: the condition of being rich and successful. 7. poverty: the condition of being very poor. 8. steam: the hot gas which is produced when water boils. 9. textile industry: the industry of making cloth. 1. to come to the throne: to become queen or king. 2. to reign: to be the queen or king of a country. 3. charity: an association which provides help for poor people. 4. colonial: relating to a colony, which is a country ruled by another country, often far away. 48