What did James Watt improve?

The 18th century saw a great intellectual movement known as the Enlightenment, which emphasised reason, science, and individual rights. Scotland played a particularly important role. Adam Smith, a Scottish economist, wrote 'The Wealth of Nations' (1776), which is considered the foundation of modern economics. David Hume was an influential philosopher.

Other important Enlightenment figures included James Watt, who improved the steam engine (a key invention of the Industrial Revolution), and Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet. The Enlightenment also influenced political thinking, contributing to ideas about democracy, human rights, and the rule of law that shaped the modern world.