Society and social changes: class and regional division; prosperity and poverty
Victorian Britain was a deeply unequal society. Industrial wealth made some people very rich, but millions of working-class people lived in poverty — and where you lived in Britain shaped your chances enormously.
Real World
In 1880s Manchester, factory owners like the Arkwright family lived in suburban villas with servants, while their mill workers crowded into back-to-back terraces in Ancoats — one of the most densely packed slums in Europe — on wages that left little after rent and food.
Exam Focus
Avoid vague generalisations: name specific regions or groups (e.g. Lancashire mill towns vs. London dock workers) to show analytical depth.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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