Changes

When we say “Victorian Britain”, we’re referring, loosely, to the period that fell between Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837-1901. This was an era of massive societal development -- the effects of the Industrial Revolution, the rise of scientific theories, and the advent of secularism are just a few topics that comprise Victoria's reign. It was also during this time that the British Empire expanded exponentially. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Britain would come to rule over almost 25% of the world’s population.<ref>Brendon, Piers. The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997. New York: Vintage Books, 2010.</ref> (cite) As the saying went: “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”<ref>This phrase was commonly published in multiple newspapers, magazines, and even children's encyclopedias.</ref>

2. Henry Mayhew: ''London Labour and the London Poor'' – This four volume work by social theorist Henry Mayhew is full of rich and accurate accounts of what life was like for the "down and out" (the poor and working classes) in Victorian London. Mayhew interviewed everyone from small shop owners to prostitutes to pure-finders (those who collected dog poop for money). This Mayhew's work has also been annotated by Penguin Classics into a 512-page single work book as well.

3. Bernard Lightman: ''Victorian Science in Context'' – Science was an extremely important part of life in Victorian England. New scientific discoveries were being made almost daily, and due to fewer taxes on publishing, newspapers were affordable to almost everyone. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection was published right in the middle of the Victorian era, in 1859.