The Powerful Duo
James Watt and Matthew Boulton played important roles in making Great Britain a prosperous and powerful nation in the eighteenth century. The improvements they made to steam engines led to the growth of factories in which people produced goods on a mass scale using steam-driven machines.
Boulton was born in Birmingham, England. His father was in the business of making metal goods and toys. Watt was born on January 19, 1736, the son of a Scottish carpenter who specialized in shipbuilding.
Watt's frail health as a child forced him to drop out of school. His parents took charge of his education at home. He spent much of the day in his father's workshop, where he learned to craft things out of wood and metal. In 1755, he moved to London to work as an apprentice to an instrument maker. When he returned to Scotland, Watt received the opportunity to work on a model of the steam engine Thomas Newcomen had created at the University of Glasgow.
Boulton finished his schooling and joined the family business at the age of 21. In 1776, he set up his own factory; The Soho Manufactory was unlike other factories of the time. Boulton gave his workers adequate wages and a healthy work environment. As his business flourished, Boulton realized the importance of increasing the production of goods in his factory. So, he partnered with Watt to improve the efficiency of steam engines. Watt built the engines, and Boulton sold them to other factory owners. Their efforts led to the mechanization of factories and mills in the latter half of the eighteenth century.
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Why would someone most likely read this passage?
A.
to learn about Matthew Boulton's factory
B.
to learn about early improvements to the steam engine
C.
to learn about how modern steam engines work
D.
to learn about the economic growth of Great Britain
B. to learn about early improvements to the steam engine
This passage discusses the important roles that James Watt and Matthew Boulton played in improving steam engines, which ultimately led to the growth of factories and the mechanization of industries in Great Britain. It focuses on their collaboration and the impact they had on technological advancements during the eighteenth century.