Glencoe Literature Course 1 National Edition
Introduction
The Web site for this quest focuses on child labor laws that were passed in Great Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria. This time period, between 1837 and 1901, is often referred to as the Victorian Era. Before Queen Victoria’s reign, children as young as five years old worked in factories and sold newspapers. Business owners liked to hire children because they could force children to do more work for less money than adult workers. Some adults, however, thought this was unfair. They argued that many of these children were forced to work by their parents to bring in extra money for their family. They believed all children deserved an education. In this Web quest, you will read about children’s lives in Victorian Britain and decide if you think the children’s treatment was fair or unfair.
Destination Title
BBC: Children in Victorian Britain (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/victorians/standard/)
Note: Clicking on the links above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips.
Directions
Click on the link above. In the middle of the page you will see three boxes that say “Work,” “Play,” and “School.” Click on the word “Learning” under the “Work” box. Next, click on the projector in the middle of the screen. Read about child workers in Victorian Britain. Click on “Next” at the bottom of each picture to go to the next page. After the slideshow, click on the link that says “Go to the work learning area.” Next click on the musical instrument to listen to children’s work experiences. After learning about child labor in Victorian Britain, go back to the home page and click on the word “Learning” under the “School” box. Click on the projector again. Follow the same steps you followed for “Work.” Do the same routine for “Play.” Return to the home page and click on “Game” under each category to test your knowledge.
The resource you requested requires you to enter a username and password below: