What is the role of the workhouse?

Question

from Victorian era

THIS IS ALSO FOR MY ENGLISH WORK FOR TOMORROW
I'VE ALREADY TYPED IT INTO GOOGLE AND NOTHING HELPFUL CAME UP

PLEASE HELP!!!

Answer 1

poor people who didn't have a job or a place to live but wanted a roof over their heads went to the workhouse. it was a nasty place and they did work that could harm and possibly kill them.

Answer 2

Try these links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_era
http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/Victorians/article.html
http://englishthymes.blogspot.com/2007/09/overview-of-victorian-era.html