英国是工业革命的发源地。蒸汽机推动了工业革命的发展。在蒸汽机发明以前，工厂利用水轮动力生产，工厂必须建立在河流旁边。有了蒸汽机以后工厂就不必建立在河流旁边。蒸汽机被用在各种工厂，比如纺织厂，矿山；后来用在交通工具上，比如火车，轮船，汽车。
詹姆斯·瓦特（James Watt，1736年1月19日—1819年8月25日），英国发明家、企业家，第一次工业革命的重要人物，与著名制造商马修·博尔顿合作生产蒸汽机。
- agrarian and handicraft 农业和手工业
- locomotive 机车
- cottage industry 家庭手工业
- iron and steel 铁和钢
Articles
Powering the Industrial Revolution
- underpinned by = support by
The Industrial Revolution would not have been possible without a new source of power that was efficient, movable，and continuously available．
Watt’s steam engine played a leading role in greatly increasing industrial production of all kinds.
In the mid-1700s James Watt transformed an inefficient steam pump into a fast，flexible，fuel-efficient engine.
The availability of steam engines was a major factor in the development of railroads，which solved a major transportation problem.