Year 2 - History
Victorian childhood
Queen Victoria: how did Britain change during her lifetime?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit teaches students about life in Britain from 1837-1901. They learn about key events like Victoria's accession, the railways, and the Great Exhibition. The unit explores how her reign defines the period, technological advances, and connections within Britain and globally.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe some of the jobs Victorian children had to do and what this was like for them.
Key Notes
- Victorian childhood was very different to childhood today.
- Many Victorian children needed to work, both in towns and in the countryside.
- In a Victorian illustration, a child can be seen fainting in the fields due to the hard work.
- Children worked in factories and mines, and as chimney sweeps; these jobs were often very dangerous.
- Historical sources show many children died or were injured doing these dangerous jobs.
Vocabulary To Learn
- mines: mines are deep holes dug in the ground to find precious materials like coal or metal
- chimney sweep: someone who sweeps the soot out of chimneys is called a chimney sweep
- sources: sources are things from the past that historians look at to try and find out what life was like at that time
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may believe that all Victorian children worked, or that no Victorian children had an education.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Victorian childhood was very different to childhood today. Many Victorian children needed to work, both in towns and in the countryside.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'mines'
mines are deep holes dug in the ground to find precious materials like coal or metal.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may believe that all Victorian children worked, or that no Victorian children had an education. Correction: Children from wealthy families were educated at home or sent to schools that were paid for. Some children went to small local schools on some days of the week and worked on other days. Some of the least fortunate children did not go to school at all.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Alice Kinloch and the Victorian British Empire Study Guide
- Britain at the time of Victoria's death Study Guide
- Factories in Britain during Victorian times Study Guide
- The Great Exhibition Study Guide
- Victoria, Empress of India Study Guide
- Victoria, Scotland and John Brown Study Guide
- Victoria's 'melancholy' childhood Study Guide
- Victoria's accession to the throne Study Guide
- Victoria's children Study Guide
- Victoria's proposal and marriage to Albert Study Guide
- Victorian society Study Guide
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