Chapter 5 of 32 · Updated for 2026

The Victorian Era: practice questions

Ten Life in the UK test questions on The Victorian Era, each checked against the official handbook and set in the four formats the real test uses. Pick your answer, then tap Show the answer to see why.

1. One answer

   1. In which year did the Battle of Waterloo bring the French Wars to an end?

   • A1815
   • B1789
   • C1805
   • D1830
   Show the answer

   A: 1815

   The French Wars ended in 1815 when the Emperor Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

2. One answer

   2. What did the Elementary Education Act of 1870 do in England and Wales?

   • AMade secondary education free for all children
   • BMade school attendance compulsory up to age 16
   • CFounded the first state universities
   • DSet up school boards to build schools where needed
   Show the answer

   D: Set up school boards to build schools where needed

   The 1870 Act, introduced by W E Forster, created elected school boards to provide elementary schools in areas without enough places; attendance became compulsory nationally in 1880.

3. True or false

   3. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE?

   Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire by the Emancipation Act of 1807.

   • ATrue
   • BFalse
   Show the answer

   B: False

   The Emancipation Act was passed in 1833. In 1807 only the slave trade in British ships and ports was banned.

4. One answer

   4. Besides about a million deaths, how many people left Ireland because of the famine in the middle of the 19th century?

   • AAbout one hundred thousand
   • BAbout five hundred thousand
   • CAbout one and a half million
   • DAbout five and a half million
   Show the answer

   C: About one and a half million

   When the potato crop failed, a million people died from disease and starvation and another million and a half left Ireland, many for the US or England.

5. Choose TWO answers

   5. Which TWO things did the Royal Navy do after the slave trade was banned?

   • AFreed slaves from other countries' ships
   • BCarried slaves to the Caribbean
   • CPunished the slave traders
   • DBought slaves to serve as crew
   Show the answer

   A: Freed slaves from other countries' ships
   C: Punished the slave traders

   The Royal Navy stopped other countries' slave ships, freed the slaves and punished the traders.

6. One answer

   6. What was the Chartists' list of six demands for political reform called?

   • AThe Bill of Rights
   • BThe People's Charter
   • CThe Petition of Right
   • DThe Magna Carta
   Show the answer

   B: The People's Charter

   The People's Charter of 1838 demanded votes for all men, secret ballots, equal constituencies, annual elections, payment for MPs and no property qualification for MPs.

7. Which statement is correct

   7. Which of these statements is correct?

   • AIn 1807, it became illegal to trade slaves in British ships or from British ports.
   • BIn 1807, slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire.
   Show the answer

   A: In 1807, it became illegal to trade slaves in British ships or from British ports.

   1807 banned the slave trade in British ships and ports. Slavery itself was abolished across the Empire in 1833.

8. One answer

   8. Which medal did Queen Victoria introduce during the Crimean War to honour acts of valour?

   • AThe George Cross
   • BThe Military Cross
   • CThe Order of the Garter
   • DThe Victoria Cross
   Show the answer

   D: The Victoria Cross

   Queen Victoria introduced the Victoria Cross during the Crimean War. It honours acts of valour by soldiers.

9. True or false

   9. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE?

   During the Victorian period, working conditions in factories gradually became worse.

   • ATrue
   • BFalse
   Show the answer

   B: False

   The handbook says factory conditions gradually became BETTER, and better housing began to be built for workers.

10. One answer

    10. Which policy did the Victorian government promote by abolishing a number of taxes on imported goods?

    • AProtectionism
    • BFree trade
    • CNationalisation
    • DRationing
    Show the answer

    B: Free trade

    Abolishing taxes on imports is free trade. The repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 is the handbook's main example.

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