The Victorians continue to be a vital presence in the modern world. Victorian cultural legacies, especially in art, science, and literature, are still celebrated. Contemporary Britain still lives with their transport systems, their social structures, and even their vocabularies. And we are increasingly aware of the ways their global actions shaped, for good and ill, the world around us. In this Very Short Introduction, Martin Howitt offers a historical overview of the Victorians and their legacies. He goes beyond the common caricatures to explore what Victorian Britain was actually like, what was distinctive about the experiences and values of its inhabitants, and why it continues to fascinate us. He also asks how far the Victorians and their culture spread across the globe, and with what results.