Edward Hoffman, age 16, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, for his question:
HOW MANY YEARS DID QUEEN VICTORIA RULE?
Queen Victoria, one of the greatest monarchs in English history, ruled Great Britain for 63 years from 1837 until 1901. She had the longest reign of any British monarch.
Victoria was only 18 years old when she became queen upon the death of her uncle, William IV. The period of her rule came to be known as the Victorian Era. During this period of time, Great Britain reached the height of its power.
During the Victorian Era there was great industrial expansion at home and imperial expansion abroad. Under Victoria, the people became high minded, modest, self righteous and extremely enterprising.
When Victoria came to power, the people neither liked nor respected the throne. But by being above reproach, she raised the throne to a position of respect and veneration. In later years, Victoria became the symbol of Great Britain's greatness.
Victoria was a capable and wise monarch. But the greatness of her country was largely due to a number of excellent ministers, since even then the country was a constitutional monarchy, and Victoria could only warn, advise or encourage the prime minister.
Serving as ministers during Victoria's reign were such excellent leaders as Sir Robert Peel, Lord Palmerston, Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone and Lord Salisbury.
Many important events happened during Victoria's reign. For example, Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1840 and given self government.
A mutiny broke out in India in 1857 and the following year India was transferred from the East India Company to government control. Victoria was proclaimed empress of India in 1877. Also, Britain became a free trade country.
Other important events during Victoria's reign included Parliment passing acts improving labor conditions, the establishment of compulsory education and reform in civil service.
Victoria was the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of George III. Two years after she became monarch, she married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg Gotha. It was a happy marriage. The queen and her prince consort had four sons and five daughters.
Victoria's oldest child, Princess Victoria, married the crown prince of Germany.
When Prince Albert died in 1861, Victoria withdrew from social activities and dressed in mourning clothes for many years. Avoiding London, she lived for the most part at Osborne on the Isle of Wight and at Balmoral in Scotland.
In 1887, the people of the empire celebrated the golden jubilee of Victoria's reign with great rejoicing. Ten years later they celebrated her 60th anniversary on the throne as a "festival of empire."
Victoria died on January 22, 1901. Her eldest son then became King Edward VII.