The Invention of Horsepower

The steam engine wasn't actually invented to power trains or factories. James Watt created

it to solve a deadly problem plaguing mine workers in the 1700s. Miners were literally

drowning underground because they had no way to pump out the water that constantly flooded the mines.

Traditional methods using horses and manual pumps weren't strong enough. Watt's steam engine

could pump water faster than dozens of horses combined. But here's the genius part - to sell his

invention, he invented the term horsepower. He told mine owners this twenty-five

horsepower engine could replace twenty-five actual horses. That marketing trick worked so well we

still measure engine power in horsepower today, even for electric cars.