The Victorians: invention and empire

Exploring Britain in Victorian times, with new inventions, steam trains, factories and the British Empire

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Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
Queen Victoria was queen of which country? A) Britain B) France C) Spain D) Greece
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2
Which new invention changed travel for Victorians? A) Steam trains B) Aeroplanes C) Mobile phones D) Spaceships
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3
True or false? During Victorian times, many people moved from farms to work in factories in towns. A) True B) False
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4
Who was the queen during the Victorian period? A) Queen Victoria B) Queen Elizabeth I C) Queen Mary I D) Queen Anne
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5
Fill in the blank: Queen Victoria became queen in the year ___ and reigned until 1901.
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6
Match each Victorian word to its meaning. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Empire, Factory, Workhouse, Steam train Right: Many lands ruled by one country, Large building where goods are made, Place poor people had to live and work, Train powered by burning coal to make steam
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7
What was the British Empire? A) Many countries around the world ruled by Britain B) A small castle in London C) A type of cake D) A British football team
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8
In which year did Queen Victoria die, ending the Victorian period? A) 1901 B) 1837 C) 1066 D) 2000
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9
Fill in the blank: The Victorian period was a time of new factories and machines, called the ___ Revolution.
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10
Put these British rulers and periods in order, from earliest to latest. Put these in order: Anglo-Saxons, Victorians, Romans in Britain
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Answer key

The Victorians: invention and empire · for parents and teachers

1
Britain
Queen Victoria was queen of the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901, a time we call the Victorian period.
2
Steam trains
Steam trains were a major invention of the Victorian age. They let people travel quickly across long distances.
3
True
True. In Victorian times, many people moved from the countryside into towns to work in factories. This was part of the Industrial Revolution.
4
Queen Victoria
The Victorian period is named after Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain from 1837 to 1901.
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1837
Queen Victoria became queen in 1837 and reigned for nearly 64 years, until her death in 1901.
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Empire → Many lands ruled by one country; Factory → Large building where goods are made; Workhouse → Place poor people had to live and work; Steam train → Train powered by burning coal to make steam
Empires were huge, factories made goods, workhouses were tough places for the poor, and steam trains were powered by burning coal.
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Many countries around the world ruled by Britain
The British Empire was made up of many lands and colonies around the world that were ruled by Britain.
8
1901
Queen Victoria died in 1901. Her son Edward then became king, starting the Edwardian period.
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Industrial
The Industrial Revolution was a time of huge change, with new factories, machines and ways of making things.
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Romans in Britain, Anglo-Saxons, Victorians
The Romans came first in 43 CE, then the Anglo-Saxons, and the Victorians lived in the 19th century, much later.