At the University of Glasgow in 1763, a man by the name of James Watt was given a steam engine created by Thomas Newcomen to repair. While repairing, Watt realized there were several ways to imrpove the machine. A few years later, Watt invented a new and improved steam engine, propelling the Industrial Revolution forward at a fast rate. This invention is often thought to be one of the most defining moments of the Industrial Revolution.

The Battle of the Somme took place near Somme river between the Allied and German powers of WWI along the western front. The battle only lasted from July to November 1916, but the destruction was vast. There is an estimated 420,000 British soldiers lost during the war. This tragic loss shook the foundations of many English individual's faith, questioning the goodness of the God they believed in. Furthermore, the support of the church going toward the war created further distance between the individual and their religion.