preview

How Did Henry Ford Change Society

Decent Essays

Introduction

One of America's foremost industrialists, Henry Ford revolutionized assembly-line modes of production for the automobile. Henry Ford would become the founder of Ford Motor Company and sell millions of cars. Ford developed an assembly line method that would lead to faster production at a lower cost. Henry Ford changed the ways that men build, and use cars. Henry Ford changed the automobile from a expensive curiosity to a everyday conveyance that middle class families could afford. In doing so he would change the 20th century forever.

Young Henry Ford and Family

Henry Ford was born on July 30th, 1863. Ford was born on his father’s farm in Greenfield Township, Michigan. Henry Ford’s father, William Ford was born in County Cork, …show more content…

Ford would organize other boys to build simple water wheels, and steam engines. Ford gained knowledge of steam engines, and how they work by the men who ran and created them.
Henry Ford started school at the age of seven. Before Henry started going to school, his mother had already taught him how to read and write. Henry would walk one mile and a half to the “Scotch Settlement School” The school was one room where the teacher would teach all eight grades, in that one room. Henry was a good reader and excellent at arithmetic.

Ford was a very mischievous child, and got into some trouble. Ford had a best friend named Edsel Ruddiman who was the brightest in the class. One story Ford remembered was when he threw a dart into a boy’s leg and was jabbed in the leg with a penknife in return. When in trouble the teacher would make Henry go to the front of the class right under the teacher’s view. The teacher called this the “mourners bench”.
At the age of thirteen Henry received a pocket watch from his father. Ford took the pocket watch, took it apart, and reassembled. Neighbors and friends saw and requested that he fixed their watches as well. Over time, Ford became the go-to watch repairman for his neighbors and …show more content…

Ford became an apprentice at James F. Flower & Bros and then Detroit Dry Dock Co. Henry Ford then started as an apprentice at the Michigan Car Company. In 1882 Ford went back to his father’s farm to work. While there he became skillful with Westinghouse portable steam engine.Ford was eventually appointed by Westinghouse Company for steam engines servicing.Simultaneously, he also studied bookkeeping at Goldsmith, Bryant & Stratton Business College in Detroit.

In 1891 Henry Ford went back to detroit and was hired by the Edison Illuminating Company as an engineer. In 1893 Henry Ford’s skilled talents earned him a job as a the chief engineer. During his time as a chief engineer Ford had a lot of time for personal projects. Henry Ford had an idea for a horseless carriage. In 1896 he built his first model of the Ford Quadricycle. In the same year he attended a meeting with Thomas Edison himself, and presented his plans. Thomas Edison encouraged Henry Ford to build a newer and better model of his “Ford Quadricycle”.

The Road to the Ford Motor

Get Access