Famed author Charles Dickens wrote about some dark themes. Oliver Twist is an orphan abused by an unforgiving system. Ebenezer Scrooge is a money-obsessed miser who is haunted by his lack of humanity. A Tale of Two Cities begins, ''It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'' Why was Dickens so pessimistic? Well, he was living in an era of profound change called the Industrial Revolution. From roughly 1760 through 1840, Europe rapidly developed the world's first industrial economy based on large-scale production from new machinery. The Industrial Revolution shaped the future, creating capitalism as we know it, launching a new era of the British Empire, and also creating a new class system that would divide society as never before. Some, like Dickens, noted that these changes led to some fierce attitudes of competition between the rich and the poor - the haves and have-nots. For some, it was the best of times. For others, life was very hard. The Industrial Revolution was a period from roughly the 1760s through the 1840s of intense technological, economic, and social change when Europe developed its first industrial economies. As new businesses became obsessed with economic competition, encouraged by governments' laissez-faire (hands off) policies and non-regulation, class differences were cemented. The upper class and lower class led drastically different lives, and exploitation of the workers led to intense class conflict. This was famously observed by Karl Marx, who claimed that capitalism solidified the struggle between the bourgeoisie, who controlled the means of production, and the proletariat laborers. Overall, the Industrial Revolution did create some dramatic changes in terms of class relations. Some say it helped society. Some say it hurt. Like the Dickens. The Age of Imperialism was introduced With the wealth of the Industrial Revolution burning in their pockets, the powerful nations of Europe were ready to formally expand their empires into Asia and Africa. Known as "New Imperialism," this desire for expansion was motivated by many things, not the least of which were the promise of economic growth, the sting of national rivalries, and a sense of moral superiority. Prior to the 19th century, Europe's interactions with Asia and Africa had mostly been limited to holding trading posts on the continent. Europe usually didn't impose direct rule onto these areas. However, as the 19th century progressed, a shift occurred. In this period of New Imperialism, Europeans began to seek formal political control over foreign and overseas areas.