Henry Ford's Significance in American History

Henry Ford was the founder of the Ford Motor Company, but he was much more than a car manufacturer. He was a famous and popular role-model in business, a mechanical genius, one of the pioneers of mass production and he single-handedly started the enormous growth in car ownership. Ford’s ideas about mass production were copied across all of the USA, and this changed the face of American industry. He was the first person to develop the techniques of assembly-line production using conveyer belts and mechanical devices, which did more work than the actual workers. This way, huge amounts of products were put on the market which ordinary Americans could afford. This is significant because using these mass production techniques the businesses made a lot of money, and the people could now afford to get good quality and durable items for a low price. This also contributed to the US’s economic boom. Henry Ford was a mechanical genius. He designed the Model T, a uniquely popular car, which had interchangeable parts and unique huge rear springs which meant that it could travel over rough ground more easily with no malfunctions. Using his technique of assembly-line production, he was able to produce large volumes of the Model T. The Model T brought an immense sense of freedom to rural America. Also, since there was an enormous growth in car ownership now in the USA, it encouraged the building of roads and the development of suburbs. In the mid-1920s every one in two cars was a Model T. Fifteen million had been built by the time production was ended in 1928. Also, because of his mass production methods Henry Ford made his cars affordable. When the Model T first came out, its price was $1200; and by 1928 it was $295. Making the car affordable changed the face of the USA. Cars were now affordable for millions or ordinary Americans. People had a great freedom to travel, and also people who lived in rural areas (like farmers) had a quick and easy access to the cities.