James Watt (January 19, 1736 - August 19, 1819) was a famous British inventor and an important figure in the Industrial Revolution. In 1776, the first practical steam engine was built. Later, after a series of major improvements, it became a "universal prime mover" and was widely used in industry. He ushered in a new era of energy utilization for mankind and marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. In order to commemorate this great inventor, later generations set the unit of power as "Watt".