Superpower (1770 - 1851)

The expansion of Britain's empire through exploration and invention, as the Industrial Revolution transformed society and the economy - though the rise of mechanised factories was not welcomed by all. The programme also explores the colonisation of Australia and the advances in 19th-century technology that turned the Crimean War into one of the most brutal conflicts in military history. With contributions by Jessie J, Lily Cole and Dougray Scott.