children, women and classes in Victorian Times

Word of the day: Grandiose
adjective gran-dee-OHSS
Grandiose is most often used disapprovingly to describe something that seems impressive or is intended to be impressive, but is either not possible or practical.

// The committee eventually scaled back the most outlandish parts of its plans for the festival, including a grandiose scheme to bring in live peacocks for the event.
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Slide 1: Slide
EngelsMiddelbare schoolvwoLeerjaar 5,6

This lesson contains 21 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 4 videos.

time-iconLesson duration is: 30 min

Items in this lesson

Word of the day: Grandiose
adjective gran-dee-OHSS
Grandiose is most often used disapprovingly to describe something that seems impressive or is intended to be impressive, but is either not possible or practical.

// The committee eventually scaled back the most outlandish parts of its plans for the festival, including a grandiose scheme to bring in live peacocks for the event.

Slide 1 - Slide

Victorian Times 
Role of women and children

Slide 2 - Slide

If you think about an upper class woman in the Victorian era, what comes to mind first?

Slide 3 - Mind map

Position of women in Victorian Times
*Poor women had to work

*Bad living conditions

* no rights to vote, husband was the boss
Difference between the classes:
*Rich women were supposed to be "the Angel of the House"
*Well-furnished houses & enough food, servants
* no rights to vote, husband decided on everything

Slide 4 - Slide

Slide 5 - Video

Do you think wearing a corset had consequences?
A
Yes
B
No

Slide 6 - Quiz

Women were often laced so tightly their breathing was restricted leading to faintness. Compressing the abdominal organs could cause poor digestion and over time the back muscles could atrophy. In fact, long term tight lacing led to the rib cage becoming deformed.

Slide 7 - Slide

What about children?
What was the position of children during the Victorian Era?
In the different classes?
Girls/boys
Health-wise?

Slide 8 - Slide

Slide 9 - Video

Rich children
raised by a nanny & spoiled 
hardly any contact with their parents
not allowed to eat at the same table as their parents
educated
needed to marry a person from the same class

Slide 10 - Slide

Different outlooks on life in Victorian Times
19th century society
Optimism, for the middle & upper classes
Pessimism for the lower classes & poor people
Industrial + economic growth Economic recession: surplus of labour
- Reform bills to improve situation labourers (child labour)
Max. 48 hours if 9 years old
Chimney sweepers
Right to vote for women & lower classes
World Power: the British Empire
Queen of Britain
Empress of India
Imperialism: GB doubled its size
The Sun never sets on the British Empire!
Anglican Church, very religious + high morals Religious doubts, Darwin "Origin of Species", no longer only Adam and Eve story, but evolutionary ideas

Slide 11 - Slide

Slide 12 - Slide

Women's + children's rights
Emancipation: women's rights
in GB called Sufragettes: rights & votes for women 
1918 :allowed to vote if 30 years old
1928: vote at 21 years old
Rights to vote for women & lower classes
- Bad living conditions lower classes/poor
- Reform bills to improve situation labourers (child labour)
Max. 48 hours if 9 years old
Bit of education...
Bad health circumstances


Sufragettes: women's & votes
1918 :allowed to vote if 30 years old
1928: 21 years old
Right to vote for women & lower classes

Slide 13 - Slide

Types of jobs for poor women
servants
nannies
governesses
prostitutes

Slide 14 - Slide

Prudishness
Strong difference in gender roles
Clothing prescriptions
Extra marital affairs 
Prostitution (since not a lot of men had to work)

Slide 15 - Slide

Slide 16 - Video

Who is this person? Why does she wear black?

Slide 17 - Open question

Female writers in the 19th century 
The Brontë sisters:
Charlotte, Emily and Anne
Upper middle class

Slide 18 - Slide

A quick guide to the Brontë sisters 
What type of girls were these Brontë sisters:
Little contact/shy, started writing stories
Did not opt for marriage, governesses
Wrote under a male pseudonym (also did not want to become famous)


Slide 19 - Slide

Extra study material
If you want to know more about living conditions of the lower classes watch the following clip.
Remember to pick a book today!
Start working on your project or Units: vR2Bf9

Slide 20 - Slide

Slide 21 - Video