Queen Victoria and the Victorian Age

Queen Victoria (reigned 1837–1901) came to the throne aged 18 and ruled for 63 years — the second-longest reign in British history. She married her cousin Prince Albert in 1840; the couple had nine children, whose marriages linked Victoria to most of the royal houses of Europe. After Albert's death in 1861 she retreated from public life for many years.

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Her reign coincided with the height of British industrial and imperial power: the Great Exhibition of 1851 in the Crystal Palace showcased British manufactures to the world, and the Empire grew to cover roughly a quarter of the globe and a quarter of its people. Major reforms extended the vote to working-class men, abolished child labour in factories, and built the railways and the modern civil service.

You may be asked when Victoria came to the throne (1837), how long she reigned (63 years) or who her husband was (Prince Albert).

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These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.

1. Who was reigning in England when English settlers first began to colonise the eastern coast of America?
2. During Queen Elizabeth's reign the British Empire became the largest empire the world had ever seen
3. The British Empire during the Victorian period became the largest empire the world has ever seen
4. During the Victorian period the British Empire became the largest empire the world has ever seen.
5. Queen Victoria reigned almost 68 years.
6. During the Victorian period, the British Empire grew to cover all of India, Australia and large parts of Africa.

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