Henry Ford invent model T (car)

Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 April 7, 1947) was an American captain of industry and a business
magnate, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and the sponsor of the development of the
assembly line technique of mass production.
Although Ford did not invent the automobile or the assembly line, he developed and
manufactured the first automobile that many middle-class Americans could afford. In doing so,
Ford converted the automobile from an expensive curiosity into a practical conveyance that
would profoundly impact the landscape of the 20th Century. His introduction of the Model T
automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry. As the owner of the Ford Motor
Company, he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world.
Model T
The Model T was introduced on October 1, 1908. It had the steering wheel on the left, which
every other company soon copied. The entire engine and transmission were enclosed; the four
cylinders were cast in a solid block; the suspension used two semi-elliptic springs. The car was
very simple to drive, and easy and cheap to repair. It was so cheap at $825 in 1908 ($21,990
today) (the price fell every year) that by the 1920s, a majority of American drivers had learned to
drive on the Model T.
Ford created a huge publicity machine in Detroit to ensure every newspaper carried stories and
ads about the new product. Ford's network of local dealers made the car ubiquitous in almost
every city in North America. As independent dealers, the franchises grew rich and publicized not
just the Ford but the concept of automobiling; local motor clubs sprang up to help new drivers
and to encourage exploring the countryside. Ford was always eager to sell to farmers, who
looked on the vehicle as a commercial device to help their business. Sales skyrocketed
several years posted 100% gains on the previous year. Always on the hunt for more efficiency
and lower costs, in 1913 Ford introduced the moving assembly belts into his plants, which
enabled an enormous increase in production. Although Ford is often credited with the idea,
contemporary sources indicate that the concept and its development came from employees
Clarence Avery, Peter E. Martin, Charles E. Sorensen, and C. Harold Wills. (See Ford Piquette
Avenue Plant)

Since the late 1700's inventors in Europe have thrown around the idea of a motored vehicle. By
the mid 1800's inventors had made attempts at electrical, combustion, and steam engines. By
the 20th century it was unclear to the public which form of engine would begin the first
automobiles. At the start, the electric car became the most popular model, but in the 1900s a
battery for an electrical engine did not exist that would engender a high speed over an extensive
distance. The steam powered automobile was found to be more useful and use produced into
the 1920's. However, the cost to manufacture and maintain a steam engine was incomparably
high compared to a gas engine. The combustion engine slowly took the lead and market
following the 1920's, among the first American automobile manufacturers like Henry Ford and
Ransom E. Olds began to build reliable combustion engines founding the status quo of
combustion engines in the car industry for over a century (McCalley 12). Little did Henry Ford
know that he would soon enough redefine the status quo of America through the invention of a
single car called the Model T. The Model T was the first affordable, lightweight and well-built car
in the United States. Being the original mass produced car through the innovative idea of an
assembly line, the Model T not only prompted the expansion of the auto industry but also laid
the foundation for America's nonexistent middle class and for the American automobile industry
we know today.
Profitable automotive manufacturing started in France in 1890. It was not until the 1990's that
the United States began to produce cars commercially. In the early 1900's the European
automotive business consisted of a multitude of diminutive sovereign companies that would
produce only a handful of cars a year by means of handcrafted parts and strict engineering.
Early on in the United States' automotive industry there had been as many as 2,000 firms
producing one or more cars in a single year (McCalley 25). The first Model T's, built individually,
in 1908 sold for about $800, which was too much for the average American. Ford understood
this and instead of creating the cars one by one invented the moving assembly line. An
assembly line permitted an employee to complete a duty then watch as the car moved on to the
next employee who would complete the next task. This allowed workers to be good at one
specific skill and focus on that on every car that passed through the line.

People in America use cars every day, that all started during the early 1900s. Henry Ford
Model-T is what truly brought the
Automobile to the growing nation of America during the 1920s. The Automobile changed the
culture and structure of America in the 1920s.
In America the Model T became the car of choice during the 1920s (The Ford Model T).
It was produced by Henry Fords famous assembly line (The Ford Model T). This new assembly
line allowed unskilled workers to create projects commonly requiring skilled workers and crafters
(The Ford Model T). This opened an entire new industry, creating many new jobs for Americans.
Fords Model T was able to reach a speed of 25 mph with a 22 horsepower engine, with a gas
efficiency of ten to twelve miles per gallon (Model T Faq). Ford was even able to reduce his
prices to make the Model T affordable for many Americans (The Ford Model T). Ford lowered
the cost of the Model T from 850 dollars in 1908 to 290 dollars in 1915 (The Ford Model T).
The introduction of the automobile had a huge impact on the entire structure of
America. The positive and negative effects of the automobile were felt throughout the country
almost instantly. When the price on the Model-T dropped many common people were able to
afford an automobile. This led to the development of suburbs since people could commute into
the cities for work. The automobile also gave people the opportunity to spread out across rural
areas because farmers no longer needed to be within carriage distance of a port or train tracks.
These new environments created by the automobile changed how America lived and how
people interacted with one another. Many people often drove just to see things throughout the
country; these people were often called Sunday drivers (Elliot). The automobile created a new
activity for many Americans. Though the automobile had many good effects but the sense of
freedom and the ability to escape changed American society in several ways both positive and
negative. The automobile gave people the ability to leave home more often, creating a more
social society in America (Elliot). This however contributed to strains in family life, women could
easily escape household chores and older children could leave the family to roam free. Leaving
the house was no longer a significant event so families were less likely to accompany each
other (Elliot). After the automobile came to America families began to spend increasingly less
time with each other. There were also other negative effects caused by the automobile such as
air pollution and traffic accidents. Especially in cities air quality decreased as more and more
automobiles released emissions into the atmosphere (The History). The new and primitive cars
were not nearly as clean nor as efficient as the cars that are currently enjoyed in America today
(The Ford Model T). Also because automobiles were very new to America many Americans did
not know how to drive properly, America as a nation had not critiqued the art of driving to a point
where it is taught to everyone like today. Due to the lack of driving ability throughout America
there were many injuries and fatalities from auto accidents (The History). Though the negative
effects on family life, highway safety and air quality were undeniable so were the positive effects
on the economy. New jobs opened up in factories, convenience stores, gas stations, state
police, highway construction and many other fields (The History).
The automobile introduced a whole new way of life to America and it introduced many
conveniences into American culture. The automobile reshaped industry, economy and culture in
America in several ways both positive and negative. The introduction of the automobile pushed
America forward in and ever changing technological world.

Cause
The Model T was Ford's first automobile mass-produced on moving assembly lines with
completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the middle class. Henry Ford said of the vehicle:
I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough
for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men
to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low
in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one and enjoy with his family
the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces
Effect
Increased Socail Activity
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With the automobile came increased social activity. People interacted more due to the fact that
traveling to social events wasn't a large commitment anymore. This led to more cultural diversity
and increased nationwide interactions.
Created Jobs
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A more obvious impact from the automobile is the large amount of jobs that it created. Jobs in
several fields opened up thanks to the automobile Jobs in factories, industry, convenience
stores, gas stations, state police, mechanics and highway opened up all due to the automobile.
This was a huge positive impact on America because it greatly decreased the unemployment
rate in America.
Created New Communites
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The introduction of the automobile in America created many new communities across America.
Suburbs were created when people began to move to the outskirts of big cities and commute to
work. When this happened it created entirely new communities and ways of life. Farmers also
began to fan out into far reaches of the country because they no longer had to be near a port or
train tracks. This gave America a chance to develop nearly untouched landscape throughout
America.
Increased Ability to Travel
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The automobile gave people the ability to travel for leisure. Many people began to travel
frequently and this helped better connect people of America. It also helped people better
understand other cultures throughout America whether they accepted them or not.
Traffic Accidents
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Due to the low amount of experience driving Americans frequently go into accidents. Americans
did not have modern day access to driving techniques and lessons. There were also very few
traffic laws restricting what could be done on the road way. These cars often resulted in injuries
or fatalities despite low speeds because of the lack of safety features such as seat belts and
airbags.
Decreased Family Unity
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When the automobile was first used in America it promoted a sense of freedom and liberty to
the individual. It gave many people the ability to escape the household and into the social world.
As the automobile increased in popularity people began to engage more in socail events and
family outings became increasingly rare. Family unity was constantly decreasing while socail
lives thrived and women escaped the household chores.
Air Pollution
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As automobile became popular air quality began to decrease, especially in cities. The primitive
cars of the 1920s were not nearly as efficient as our modern cars and the manufacturers did not
take emissions into account when building their automobiles. Thick automobile emissions
quickly became a problem in major cities in the 1920s