Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. Various liberalising political reforms took place in the UK, including expanding the electoral franchise. The Great Famine caused mass death in Ireland early in the period. The British Empire had relatively peaceful relations with the other great powers. It participated in various military conflicts mainly against minor powers.
The British Empire expanded during this period and was the predominant power in the world. Victorian society valued a high standard of personal conduct across all sections of society. The emphasis on morality gave impetus to social reform but also placed restrictions on certain groups' liberty. Prosperity rose during the period, but debilitating undernutrition persisted. Literacy and childhood education became near universal in Great Britain for the first time. Whilst some attempts were made to improve living conditions, slum housing and disease remained a severe problem.
The period saw significant scientific and technological development. Britain was advanced in industry and engineering in particular, but somewhat undeveloped in art and education. Great Britain's population increased rapidly, while Ireland's fell sharply. In the strictest sense, the Victorian era covers the duration of Victoria's reign as Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , from her accession on 20 June βafter the death of her uncle, William IV βuntil her death on 22 January , after which she was succeeded by her eldest son, Edward VII.
Her reign lasted 63 years and seven months, a longer period than any of her predecessors. The term 'Victorian' was in contemporaneous usage to describe the era. Michael Sadleir was insistent that "in truth, the Victorian period is three periods, and not one". He saw the latter period as characterised by a distinctive mixture of prosperity, domestic prudery , and complacency [ 6 ] βwhat G. Trevelyan called the 'mid-Victorian decades of quiet politics and roaring prosperity'.
The Reform Act , [ note 3 ] which made various changes to the electoral system including expanding the franchise, had been passed in All these acts and others simplified the electoral system and reduced corruption. Historian Bruce L Kinzer describes these reforms as putting the United Kingdom on the path towards becoming a democracy.
