Author: Becky Brown

Year 6 History
Victorians

The Workhouse
Workhouses were where poor people who had no job or home lived. They earned their keep by doing jobs in the workhouse.
Also in the workhouses were orphaned (children without parents) and abandoned children, the physically and mentally sick, the disabled, the elderly and unmarried mothers.
Workhouses were often very large and were feared by the poor and old.
Workhouses were closed in 1930. Some of the buildings were used by the National Health Service.

The Victorian Era
The period of time between 1837 to 1901 when Queen Victoria reigned over Britain. During her 63 year reign, there was a huge contrast between how the rich and poor Victorians lived. Queen Victoria led the expansion of the British empire and saw major changes to all aspects of Britain due to exciting discoveries and inventions.

Victorian Schools
The children sat on hard wooden benches or chairs.
For maths lessons, the children used frames with coloured beads, like an abacus.
The day usually began with prayers and religious instruction. Morning lessons ran from 9am to 12pm. Afternoon classes from 2pm to 5pm.
There were as many as 70 or 80 pupils in each class. The teachers were very strict.
In 1880 schools were mandatory for all children up to the age of 10. In 1889, the age was raised to 12 years and 1891 schools became free.

Key Events

1838	Queen Victoria crowned aged 18 years
1840	Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert
1842	Children under 10 can no longer work in underground mines.
1844	Children aged 8-13 can no longer work for more than 6.5 hours a day.
1856	Each county has to have its own police force.
1861	Prince Albert dies of typhoid
1864	Children under 10 can no longer work as chimney sweeps
1870	Schools are built for children aged 5-10
1872	The first FA Cup Final takes place.
1880	The Education Act makes schooling compulsory for all children aged 5-10
1901	Queen Victoria dies and Edward VII becomes King.

Queen Victoria

Prince Albert

Year 6 History
Victorians

Key Vocabulary

Arithmetic	Learning about maths and numbers.
Industry	A group of companies that all produce the same thing.
Industrial revolution	A time of major change in the way products were made.
Invention	A new thing that someone has made.
Livestock	Farm animals.
Migrate	Move to a different area to find work or better living conditions
Reign	To control a country
Rural	The countryside
Revolution	A big change in something.
Typhoid	A bacterial infection that can spread throughout the body.

Sticky learning: Can you answer any of these questions?
What impact have the Victorian inventions had on our lives today?
Research how crime was punished in Victorian Age.
How was life different from people who were rich compared to the poor in the Victorian times?
Scan this QR code and complete the Victorian quiz