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Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write. In Victorian England, literacy increased due to heavier emphasis put on education, especially among working class children. There was a heavier emphasis put on education because of industrialization. Once industrialization began in England during the early 18th century, working-class people were drawn to factories, seeking employment in them. Child employment also began to increase. As a result, many of these children were unable to attend regular schooling. New schools (such as factory schools, sunday schools, evening schools, and infant schools) were built to fit the needs of industrialization. The new schools sought to cater to an industrial society. The higher emphasis on education focused on both secular and religious teachings, particularly those that were more intellectual than rote methods used in earlier teachings. The purpose of teaching both secular and religious lessons to children was to help them understand how the world works, so that they don't question it. Higher emphasis on education was one consequence of industrialization, and that consequence ultimately lead to a higher emphasis on literacy, especially the ability to write. There were mixed feelings about the ability to write being promoted. Some people thought that writing was an essential business skill, while others thought that teaching children to write would cause them commit crimes in the future or worse it would make people go beyond their proper place in life. Nonetheless, writing became associated with economic prosperity. Also, a lot of clerks were hired at factories and industrialized businesses, so writing became an essential tool in running these businesses. Reading skills began to spread through technological advances such as the printing press and cheap, mass-produced steels pens. Taxes on stamps and newspapers began to decline and eventually became abolished, therefore books and newspapers increased in availability.