James Watt who is a Scottish Inventor, is considered one of the most important inventors for the early part of the Industrial Revolution. James Watt is most known for improving the steam engine, which sparked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Today we think about Watt when we think about engines and electricity. Find out more facts about James Watt.

• James Watt was born on January 19, 1736 in Greenock Scotland.


• James Watt's father was a carpenter. During James Watt's childhood his father spent much of his time building ships. James Watt helped his father during this time.


• As a boy, James Watt was in poor health so his parents home-schooled him.


• James remembered experimenting with his mother's steam pots as a child.


• When James was nineteen, his mother died. At the age of 19 James left home to go to London to learn how to build instruments such as surveying instruments and ship navigation instruments.


• In 1764, James Watt was working at Glasgow University in Scotland. During this time the University obtained a Newcomen engine. A Newcomen engine was the first machine to use steam to result in mechanical work. The university asked James to repair the Newcomen engine.


• James Watt learned how to improve the Newcomen engine.



This early steam engine was made by Boulton and James Watt in 1796 to pump canal water. It was an improvement over the Newcomen engine because it had a separate condenser chamber. It is a 45 horsepower engine operating at 12 strokes per minute.

• By 1781 James Watt was able to make his steam engine a rotary engine, which even greater improved its efficiency.


• Watt developed a mathmatical equation to compare the pulling power of draft horses to the power of his steam engines. The unit of measure is called horsepower. One horsepower is equal to 550 foot-pounds or 746 watts.


• The rotary movement provided a much more powerful efficient steam engine. Watt's steam engine used about half the fuel of a Newcomen engine.


• James Watt patented his improved steam engine invention. Instead of paying James Watt royalties, many business owners used less efficient older engines until Watt's patent expired.


• James Watt died on August 19, 1819 at the age of 83 in Birmingham, England.

• The micrometer, used to make precise measurements.


• Steam engine with a second condensing chamber.


• Steam engine routing steam on both sides of the piston.


• A rotary steam engine.


• A centrifugal governor for a steam engine.


• The unit of power (Watt) was named after James watt.