19th century England (1820-1870)

19th century England was a period of massive change in both politics and culture. In 1820, Great Britain had been recently elected to a union between England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. This period was also an industrial revolution, and with rapid growth came extreme poverty and inequality for many of the working class. The Chartist Movement began in 1838 in response to a lack of voting rights for the working class. Finally in 1867, the Second Reform Act was passed, which granted voting rights to most of the adult male population in England. In addition, politically, the period saw a strong move away from a monarchy and towards a more representative style of government. The People’s Charter of 1838 outlined a 6-point plan for universal manhood suffrage, equal electoral districts and ‘payment of MPs’. The Reform Act of 1867 further challenged the political establishment by giving all industrial men and some agricultural laborers the right to vote. Culturally, the 19th century was an age of increasing knowledge and literature with the emergence of the novelists Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray and the Brontë sisters. During this time period, photography also flourished and the world's first Zoological Gardens were opened in London. Ultimately, the 19th century in England was a period of great challenge and great progress. It laid the groundwork for further advances in politics, social equality and culture, while also creating