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Why Is Henry Ford A Captain Of Industry

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Why Is Henry Ford A Captain Of Industry
After the Civil War, there was a huge industrial advancement in the United States. Innovative technology, giant corporations, and large-scale manufacturing were brought to life. Many men were instrumental in creating this Industrial Revolution. One of the most influential men of the early 1900s was Henry Ford, whose life went from rags to riches. There is debate among whether Ford is a robber baron or a captain of industry, but for the most part, Ford is a captain of industry. Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, in Wayne County, Michigan. He was raised in an Episcopalian household. As a child, he was very interested in how the parts of a machine work. At age 13, he took apart and reassembled a pocket watch that was given to him by his father. …show more content…
A robber baron is deemed a powerful industrialist who was viewed as having used questionable practices to amass their wealth. A captain of industry was a business leader whose means of amassing a personal fortune contributed positively to the country in some way. Ford was greatly admired, but he was also feared for his ruthlessness. At one point, Chevrolet almost ran him out of business, and he became a hard-hearted man. He tried to get rid of the United Autoworkers by intimidating them with thugs. Also, his anti-Semitic ideals were met with controversy. Despite having a few questionable practices, Henry Ford is classified as a captain of industry because his positive effects outweigh his negative effects. He gave many people jobs, paid his employees well, created a car that people could afford, perfected the assembly line, and made travel much easier. Henry Ford was one of the most influential people in the early 1900s. He genuinely cared about the well-being of the people; he was not really concerned with wealth. Ford treated his employees with respect, which made the people greatly admire him. Ford’s ingenuity, caring attitude, wit, and ambition proves that he was a captain of industry that the world will never

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