A significant technological advancement credited to the Industrial Revolution is the steam engine. Invented by James Watt and others in the late 18th century, the steam engine revolutionized transportation and manufacturing. It enabled locomotives and steamships to operate efficiently, facilitating the movement of goods and people across vast distances. Additionally, the steam engine played a pivotal role in mechanizing factories, increasing production capacity, and reducing reliance on manual labor. This advancement also spurred urbanization, as people migrated to cities for work, fundamentally altering social structures and economies throughout Europe and North America.