The history of West Dunbartonshire (the area covered by Clydebank, Dumbarton, and the Vale of Leven running up to the southern end of Loch Lomond) is placed in the context of larger national and international historical developments. The region is a microcosm of Scotland, containing an early Celtic capital, the birthplace of Tobias Smollett, key cradles of the Industrial Revolution, and the home of the winners of the earliest World Cup.