The Victorian Era develops during the reign of Queen Victoria and ends with her death, which was between 1837 and 1901. It is characterized by rapid growth and extreme change in politics, literature, science, social class, and economy. It was a time of great innovation and reform not only in social status but ideals as well. The Victorian Era started with optimism yet ended with uncertainty in Britain's place in the world. It is different from other time periods because it includes several different periods within itself. For example, one of the biggest shifts was from the time of prosperity to a time of destitution and starvation. The Victorian Era also included a period of imperialism and a time of social reform. All of it starts with the birth of Queen Victoria. .
Queen Victoria was the most memorable leader out of the English monarchs. She embodied characteristics that some defined the Victorian Era with: earnestness, moral responsibility, and domestic propriety. Finally named after a Russian Emperor, Victoria's name was a predicament for her family during her early years. Her uncle, the Prince Regent, detested having his brother's children on the throne and refused to allow Victoria to be named after any of the current royal family. Victoria was not considered to be beautiful by most. She was short, dumpy, and plain at first sight. Her looks were overlooked, though, due to her grandeur attitude and respectfulness. Her reign began when she was woken in the middle of the night to hear that Queen Adelaide had died. Only having just turned eighteen, the new queen impressed her followers with a sense of dignity and gravity. Victoria lost a lot of her popularity, however, through many of her actions. Queen Victoria was a gullible gossiper who readily believed that one of her mother's ladies, Lady Flora, was pregnant and forced the lady to take a humiliating test that would show that Lady Flora was not pregnant but had cancer, which would kill her months later.
