The steam engine changed the world by overcoming the limitations of men and horses. The steam engine was the driving force behind the industrial revolution, and allowed humans to harness the power of steam and to allow machines to do the grunt work and allow factories to reach speed of production never before seen in the 18th century. Steam meant that factories no longer had to depend on wind, water, or animals; so they were no longer hindered to only being built it certain locations.

During the Industrial Revolution, steam power replaced water power and muscle power (which often came from horses) as the primary source of power in use in industry. Its first use was to pump water from mines. The early steam engines were not very efficient, but a modified version created by James Watt gave engines the power to become a driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. Steam power was not only used in engines but also in locomotives, furnaces and other factory appliances that were difficult to implement prior to the invention of steam power.