Key Features

• Government: In c.1900

  • After 1884, most working men over 21 could vote.
  • This forced governments to make further changes to help working people.
  • Between 1906 and 1911, the Liberal Party introduced the first old age pension, National Insurance and free school meals.
• The role of government: Present day

  • By 1928, women in England had been given the right to vote, meaning every adult aged over 21 could vote.
  • This was one of the factors that led to a growth in the welfare state. 
  • In 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) was set up to protect citizens “from the cradle to the grave”.(baby to elderly)
• Beliefs and attitude: In c.1900

  Most people still went to church, although atheism and agnosticism were growing
• Beliefs and attitudes: Present day

  • The influence of religion on people’s lives has decreased.
  • In the 2011 Census, 63 per cent of people said they were Christian, although most of these people said they did not attend church. In the same census, 28 per cent of people said they had no religion.
  • Things that different religions used to preach were spiritually wrong have, in some cases, become somewhat more accepted within certain religious groups and in wider society.
• Science and technology: c.1900

  • Cars and the use of electricity in people’s homes were becoming more popular.
  • There were new developments in cinema, radio and telegraph communications
  • All these things meant that ideas and people could travel around more quickly and easily.
• Science and technology: Present day

  • There has been scientific innovation on a massive scale.
  • Televisions, computers, planes, the internet, phones and other technologies have transformed people’s lives.
  • Medical advances such as antibiotics have improved the treatment of disease.
  • Some scientific developments have led to problems, particularly for the environment.
• People: In c.1900

  • Population was around 37 million
  • The class structure was still rigid
• People: In c.1900

  The Upper Class:

  • This was a small elite of aristocrats and industrialists.
  • They held most of the political power.
• People: In c.1900

  Middle class:

  • At the upper end were higher professionals, such as lawyers and doctors.
  • At the lower end were people like teachers and clerks.
• People: In c.1900

  Working class

  • This was the bulk of the population.
  • These ranged from highly skilled workers to unskilled labourers.
  • Many families still lived in poverty.
• People: Present day

  • The population was around 65 million in 2020
  • much more diverse than in c.1900. After World War Two, migration to Britain from Commonwealth countries, such as the Caribbean and India, increased.
  • Free education was expanded after 1944 and the school leaving age was raised to 15.
  • New universities were introduced in the 1960s.
  • The middle classes have grown but the class system has become much more fragmented.
• Work: In c.1900

  • The working class still mainly carried out manual labour in Britain’s factories, shipyards and mines.
  • by 1900, trade unions had won better wages and safer working conditions.
  • The average working week was 54 hours.
  • The workface was predominantly male.
  • Working-class women were often employed as domestic servants but were expected to give up work when they married.
• Work: Present day

  • Britain’s economy changed after the 1950s.
  • Jobs in mines, shipyards and factories-now rare and the service industry has grown.
  • Many people now work in areas such as tourism, retail and hospitality.
  • Work is more desk-bound.
  • More women now go out to work. T
  • he average working week has become much shorter - between 40 and 45 hours a week.
• Leisure: In c.1900

  • Workers usually had Saturday afternoons and Sundays off work.
  • People went to watch football and cricket, but they also spent much of their free time being physically active: playing sport, cycling or working on an allotment.
  • There was a growth in British seaside holiday resorts, such as Blackpool and Torquay.
• Leisure: Present day

  • People now enjoy more holiday time.
  • Leisure still involves physical activity for many people, but there has also been a growth in activities involving less physical activity, such as watching sport on television, listening to music and watching films.