Summary of Victorian Times

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901.^[1] It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence for Britain.  
Culturally there was a transition away from the rationalism of the Georgian period and toward romanticism and mysticism with regard to religion, social values, and the arts.^[2] The era is popularly associated with the values of social and sexual restraint.
In international relations the era was a long period of peace, known as the Pax Britannica, and economic, colonial, and industrial consolidation, temporarily disrupted by the Crimean War in 1854. The end of the period saw the Boer War.
The population of England almost doubled from 16.8 million in 1851 to 30.5 million in 1901.^[3] Scotland's population also rose rapidly, from 2.8 million in 1851 to 4.4 million in 1901. Ireland's population decreased rapidly, from 8.2 million in 1841 to less than 4.5 million in 1901, mostly due to the Great Famine.^[4] At the same time, around 15 million emigrants left the United Kingdom in the Victorian era and settled mostly in the United States, Canada, and Australia.^[5]
Victoria's reign lasted for 63 years and 216 days, the longest in British history up to the present day. However, the present monarch, Elizabeth II, will surpass this if she remains on the throne until 9 September 2015.