Economic developments: mid-Victorian boom; 'golden age' of agriculture; industrial and transport developments; Great Depression
Britain's economy surged dramatically in the 1850s and 1860s, then slowed sharply after 1873. Farmers, factory owners, and railway builders all felt these swings in different ways.
Real World
Britain's Great Exhibition of 1851 showcased the country as the undisputed 'workshop of the world,' but by the 1880s German steel firms like Krupp were outproducing British rivals — a visible symbol of the Great Depression's competitive threat.
Exam Focus
Do not confuse the 'Great Depression' of 1873–1896 with the 1930s Depression; clarify the term early in answers to avoid losing marks for misidentification.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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