Ford Background Information
(Henry Ford portrait)
Henry Ford was an American innovator. His major contribution to the world was his Model T car. Henry Ford was born in Dearborn, MI 1863. As a young man Ford spent his time working at power company. At the power company Henry had a high position as a manager. Although he played such a major role in the power company, he still focused on creating his dream vehicle the Quadricycle.( Michigan Historical Museum)&(Ford Idles). Also some background on Ford is that he was not the first to create the car, a common misconception.(http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ford.htm)
Ford's Early Life: Ford grew up the oldest of six children on his parents farm. By age sixteen Ford had left for the nearby city of Detroit where he worked as a apprentice mechanist. In the years that followed Ford learned how to skillfully operate and service steam engines. In 1883 he was hired to work at the Edison Illuminating Company. After a while his talents earned him the position of Chief Engineer. In 1888 he was married to his wife Clara Ala Bryant. In 1896 he had constructed the first Quadricycle which did not need to be pulled by horses. In that same year he met with the famous inventor Thomas Edison who told him to create a second and even better model. Which then led to the Model T car. ( Biography.com)
Before Ford
(Henry Ford)
Before Henry Ford cars where around and being used. Before Ford gasoline powered cars were already invented by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. What Ford did was made it possible for the everyday man to afford a car. Before Ford, Benz, and Daimler cars were used as toys and powered by steam. Also before Ford the average pay for a factory worker was about $3.80 per day. He changed that by paying his workers a 5 dollar a day wage. (http://www.bls.gov) & (inventors.about.com)
Ford's Motor Company
(Rouge River Ford Plant)
In 1903 Ford had started up his Ford Motor Company. The Model T was introduced October 1908. In 1914 he introduced the assembly line for mass production. In this same year Ford came up the five dollar per day page wage which today would equal about $110.00. By doing this he made sure his workers remand loyal to the company. In 1918 half of all Americas cars were Ford Model T's. To met the rising demand for the Model T Ford had to open another factory, this one in Highland Park, Michigan. In the late 1910s and the early 1920s Fords company had constructed the world's largest industrial complex along the Rouge River in in Ford's hometown of Dearborn,MI. (www.hfmgv.org)