In this activity, students will examine how rapid urbanisation during the Industrial Revolution created a public health crisis in Britain, tracing the connection between overcrowded housing, contaminated water, and deadly disease outbreaks. They will then explore the government’s response to these conditions, from Edwin Chadwick’s 1842 report through to the construction of London’s sewer system, and evaluate how effective these reforms were in improving the lives of ordinary people.

It has 9 questions for students to answer, as well as a paragraph response section for them to demonstrate their understanding of the topic.