Glencoe World History

"The Empire of Queen Victoria"

Introduction
The reign of Queen Victoria was a period of considerable political, economic, and political change for Great Britain. In this activity you will read about the circumstances under which Victoria came to the throne, about her life as queen, and about the changing nature of Great Britain during her lifetime.

Destination Title: Queen Victoria's Empire

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Directions

Start at the Queen Victoria's Empire Web site.

• Click on and read History of a Reign, taking notes as you read.
• Also click on and read Her Majesty.
• Read the interviews with historians of Victorian times by clicking on the Experts link under "The Changing Empire."

1			Who were Victoria's father, mother, and godfather? Where were they from?
2			What major law changed the nature of British government shortly before Victoria came to the throne? What was the nature of the change?
3			What was Albert's role in Victoria's monarchy?
4			What happened to Victoria after the death of Albert?
5			The reign of Queen Victoria was marked by a dramatic transformation of England itself and of Great Britain as an empire. Rank in terms of historical significance Victoria's influence on, and relationship with, the four following phenomena: technology and industrialization, empire-building, monarchical power, and English manners and morals. Explain your rankings by writing a paragraph on each on a separate piece of paper. Cite information from your reading to support each ranking.