The London society has overcome many obstacles by creating new inventions and giving more opportunities to the less fortunate. The social class distinction has developed more as the years have passed by. The London society from 1900s to today has dramatically changed over time due to the development of medicine, transportation, and the social opportunities.
The 19th century brought in the distinction between skilled and unskilled working. In the 19th century, women’s jobs were usually servants. After the revolution, working men were classified as skilled and unskilled workers. Skilled workers typically had better jobs while many of the unskilled workers remained jobless. Many unskilled families had to send their children off to work so they could survive. Children that were five years old worked in coal mines where the working conditions were terrible. Children were working more than 12 hours a day which forced the government to pass the Child Labor Law. Working in the 19th century was very tough, and only a handful of individuals were part of the working class.
The social class was very broad, and laws that were passed helped children not have to work at an early age. The Child Labor Law allowed children from the age nine and above to work but banned them from working in factories. The law also stated that children under the age of eight couldn’t work at all. Social class as were classified as upper class, middle class, and lower class. The upper class typically had better living conditions and were treated worthily. They usually had more social power than most people.
To be considered middle class, you had to own at least one servant. The middle class were people that owned a small amount of business. The lowest class were usually the working class. The working class was treated horrible; they lacked money, so they usually didn’t have food. Since the government was still letting children work, the price of food increased. The social class was based on how wealthy a person was.
The development of medicine and the improvement to transportation improved the London society significantly. The discovery of laughing gas, or nitroxide, was discovered in the 18th century. It made whoever inhaled it laugh and made them feel very cheerful. A doctor named Charles Henry concluded that the laughing gas would make all the pain numb. He experimented on himself and it worked, so he declared a new era in tooth-pulling. Since it worked on himself, he wanted to try it on someone else but in the presentation, he didn’t use enough gas. The demonstration failed and he felt like a failure, so he quit dentistry. A disease broke out in 1848 and 1853 due to unclean water. The disease was a germ in the water called cholera. It killed thousands of men, woman and children. Railroads were built and it took away the use for traditional horse riding and carriages. This development made the ability to transport goods and services faster and quicker possible. Since the improvement of transportation, demand increased for clothes, housing, and food. Advancements in medicine and transportation greatly improved London's living conditions.
The living conditions for the less fortunate families were horrible, and the education system was just getting put into place. It was very hard for working families to put food on the table. Many families were poor, so they had to get a one-bedroom home to shelter everyone. Society began to grow, and this brought poverty. Poverty made a diverse number of skilled and unskilled workers. This forced homes to become overcrowded, which made many families live on the street or in public housing. Churches provided school for the less fortunate group of people. The government started schools called them ‘dame school’. Dame schools were run by women. The women they hired taught a little reading, writing, and arithmetic. Many of their schools were really minding schools. The states didn’t feel like they were responsible for education until 1870. The government passed an act that stated that school should be provided for all children. Children had to go to school until the age of 12. Upper class girls were taught by governess. Upper class boys went to a public school called Eton. Middle class girls went to private schools. They were taught music and sewing. Boys were sent to grammar schools. Life was a challenge for children in the 19th century due to living situations and the lack of education.
Life improved in London due to the more opportunities. In the 19th century more than half of the population was working class. The Victorian era was the era that brought the London society into great things. It made England the world’s most powerful and richest country. The population increased from 16 million to 37 million. A quarter of the world’s population was owned by London at the time. Since the increase in population, the demand for goods and services increased. Due to the increase of population, housing became overcrowded. Since the increase of population, the availability of factory jobs increased and living situations became easier. The communication system became easier due to the inventions of telephones and radios. The word ‘ethnic groups’ and ‘population’ meant race to the British scientists. The society started to get torn apart due to immigration. Today, London’s population has started decreasing. They have had a fall in immigration and an increase in domestic migration. Within the last 20 years London has had an increase in jobs. Unemployment has been at its lowest. People from ages 16-24 make at least 14£. Since the decreasing in the population and the more job opportunities, housing has increased. London has decreased in population but has increased the opportunities for people to live life easier.
Modern technology and advancements have cultivated a new standard for society in London. The amount of jobs have adequately grown over time. The education system has become more advanced and has given the society ample opportunities to be successful.