Speach Noted

Career

"Victoria." Official website of British Monarchy During her reign as queen, Britain emerged as the most powerful trading nation in the world.Steamships replaced sails, cutting transatlantic travel from weeks to day, railways reduced a days travel to hours. In Foreign policy the Queen's influence during the middle years of her reign was mostly used to support reconciliation and peace. In 1864 she asked her ministers to to intervene in the war between Austria, Prussia and Denmark. Her letter to the German Emperor in 1875 helped stop another Franco-German war. After the Indian Mutiny of 1857 the government of India was transferred from the East India Company to the crown and in 1877 Victoria became Empress of India. During her reign there was a decline in the Sovereign's power, and more went to the electorate. She remained a monarch who had prestige and was ready to master the parts of her power that could have an important political influence. She was conservative in some ways on social issues, such as she opposed giving women the vote, she favored measures to improve the lot of the poor.

Legacy

"Victoria." Official website of British Monarchy. N.p., n.d.... The elderly Queen Victoria, was 78 when she had her Diamond Jubilee. On June 20th 1887, the anniversary of her Accession to the Throne, Queen Victoria attended a Thanksgiving service with her family at St George's Chapel. Queen Victoria spent the rest of the day meeting "Officers of the Cavalry Guard of Honor". The next day she hosted an evening State Banquet in the State Supper Room, and a reception was held in the Ballroom.(Queen Victoria wrote in her diary: "A never to be forgotten day. No one ever, I believe, has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those 6 miles of streets, including Constitution Hill. The crowds were quite indescribable and their enthusiasm truly marvelous and deeply touching. The cheering was quite deafening and every face seemed to be filled with joy.") She married Prince Albert in 1940 and had 9 children by 1857. After visiting one of his sons, he became sick upon his return. A few weeks later he died. Victoria was very attached to her husband and sank into a deep depression. Until the 1860s she didn't often appear in public. She didn't abandon her official correspondence and gave audiences to her ministers and visitors, however she had been reluctant to go back to a full public life. And a sign of her remaining grief and affection for her late husband she wore black for the rest of her reign.

Early Life/ Coming to Power

Pettinger, Tejvan. "Queen Victoria." Biography Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015. <http://www.biographyonline.net/royalty/queen-victoria.html>. The only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III, Alexandrina Victoria, was born on May 24 1819. After her father died and the king shortly after, the throne then passed onto King William IV. When he died in 1931, she was crowned at only 18. Early in her reign she was influenced heavily by two men: her husband Prince Albert and her first prime minister. Lord Melbourn, a whig, spent many hours talking to her and she relied on his political advice. It was likely that she saw him as a father figure, as her own had died early on in her life.

Introduction

Queen Victoria was the first English monarch to see her name given to the period of her reign whilst still living. The Victorian Age was characterised by rapid change and developments, causing an era of confidence that led to an economic boom. The Victorian era began in 1931 and continued until 1901, when Queen VIctoria died. During her reign there was a huge increase in population, leading to an increase in child labor and prostitution. Despite this it was a time of peacefulness, prosperity, and improved sensibility.Queen Victoria's reign as queen brought about an era of prosperity, her coming to power, career, and legacy left a huge impact on the advancements of British society