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Queen Victoria came to power at the age of eighteen in 1837 on the heels of the Industrial Revolution. Very inexperienced in politics, she relied heavily on her prime minister, Lord Melbourne. She married Albert, a German from a family connected to many of Europe’s monarchs, in 1840, thereby unifying Britain’s fortunes to another important European power. During her nearly sixty-four-year reign—the longest of any British monarch—she ruled a quarter of the world’s population. After Victoria’s death in 1901, the German line that inherited the throne would take the name of Windsor as anti-German feelings took hold during World War I. The Windsor’s reign lasts until the present day with, at the time of writing, Elizabeth II still queen after sixty-two years. During the Windsor’s rule, the United Kingdom was tied more than ever to world affairs. In 1914 it entered World War I, also called the Great War, on the side of France, Russia, and other Triple Entente allies. It fought against Germany in World War II, during which it lost over 450,000 lives and suffered great damage. However, the country—with its Allies including the United States—emerged from the war victorious. In the postwar years, the United Kingdom has maintained its central role in international politics and its cultural vibrancy remains ever strong, especially due to the contributions of immigrants from its former colonies. Even as its

economy has lost some of its legendary vitality, it remains a center of eco- nomic and cultural life in a globalizing world.

In 1850, Queen Victoria’s husband

Albert organized the Great Exhibition, an event showcasing the world’s advances in science, technology, and the arts.

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MAJOR NATIONS IN A GLOBAL WORLD: UNITED KINGDOM