Henry Ford - An Automotive Icon

Henry Ford was an American pioneer in the automobile industry. His name is synonymous with American cars, and he was considered the forefather of the automobile. Ford was born in 1863 and died in 1947, but his legend still lives on today. His concepts in both the business and automotive world make him one of the United States' most important icons in manufacturing.

Facts about Henry Ford & The Ford Model T

Henry Ford grew up on a farm near Detroit, Michigan. When he was a young man, he was a farmer, and this is how he initially supported his family. In 1891 he worked for Edison's Illuminating Company, and worked side by side with Thomas Edison on many different projects. Thomas Edison was an important influence and mentor for Henry Ford in his early automobile development years. Soon Ford was designing motorized vehicles and he finally introduced the now world famous Ford Model T car in 1908. The Model T had the steering wheel located on the left side of the car, which became a template for other automobile manufacturers to follow. The average price for the Ford Model T was about $350.

  • Henry Ford: The Innovator – Henry Ford and his company sold over 15 million Model T cars throughout the life of the car's creation.
  • Henry Ford Bio – As a child, Ford worked on machinery on the family farm, and briefly worked for the Westinghouse Company as a steam engine repairman.
  • Henry Ford Museum – Henry Ford created a museum to help pay tribute to the importance of manufacturing and industry.
  • A Pioneer for Automobiles – The body of Model T cars were made of the finest steel, which previously had only been used to build European cars.

Facts about the Ford Motor Company

The Ford Motor Company was first established in 1903. The company offered workers $5 per day in wages in 1914, which created a gigantic demand for jobs and employment during that time. The company produced jeeps for the US military in the 1940s, and the jeep became synonymous with the Army. The company is credited with being the first US Corporation to operate a moving automobile assembly. By 1988, Ford's profits were in the billions of dollars and today its many different models of cars are known for their high quality and American craftsmanship.

  • Timeline – Ford bought Jaguar cars in 1989, spending $2.5 billion.
  • Putting the World on Wheels – Ford's ability to produce a high quality yet affordable car allowed more Americans to drive their own vehicles.
  • Ford's History – The Ford Motor Company also made a Model A and Model B car in addition to the Model T, but they did not do nearly as well.

Other Related Inventors

Thomas Edison and his work were clearly influential to Henry Ford's own developments. The United States boasts many other famous inventors in the world of industry. Alexander Graham Bell is a fine example of a similar inventory who pioneered and led the way to new innovations such as the telephone. Orville & Wilbur Wright, two famous brothers, were known for their developments in airplane and aviation technology. Samuel Morse helped to change the way people communicated through the use of Morse code. These and other important American inventors changed the way we think, work, and live.

  • Thomas Edison – Edison was home-schooled, yet he patented over 1,093 inventions in his lifetime.
  • Alexander Graham Bell – Bell was not just an inventor, he was also an extremely intelligent scientist.
  • The Wright Brothers – These famous brothers have been credited with developing the first airplane.
  • Samuel Morse – Morse invented the telegraph, which helped the military communicate during wartime.

Inspirational Quotes

  • “The true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention” – Plato
  • "To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." –Thomas Edison
  • "That is what we are supposed to do when we are at our best --make it all up --but make it up so truly that later it will happen that way." –Ernest Hemmingway
  • "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." – Henry Ford
  • "Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." –Henry Ford
  • "God has strewn our paths with wonders and we certainly should not go through Life with our eyes shut." – Alexander Graham Bell

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