The Impact of the Automobile

The automobile is one of the greatest inventions of the last 100 years, creating great new economic prosperity. The automobile was not invented first in America, but it was first developed and produced on a grand scale here. Henry Ford is seen as the father of the modern automobile, and also the father of the traffic jam. Ford's new techniques for producing cars and his efficiency in the factory helped put automobiles into the mainstream economy of the United States. By 1929, 26 million automobiles were registered in the United states. This number was higher than any other nation in the world. 

Henry Fords new techniques for producing the automobile helped lower costs and raise efficiency. By employing the new idea of the assembly line, Ford increased productivity immensely. By cutting costs and mass producing, Ford was able to make his cars affordable for most families in the United States. Ford's car manufacturing required the construction and fabrication of many components. The popularity of cars led to the creation of thousands of new jobs. Detroit Michigan became an economic boom town thanks to the automotive industry. 

The car was a indicator of the transition into a new age of energy. Gasoline was now the premier fuel used. The mining, drilling, and extraction of oil became a billion dollar business. Oil was so valuable that it was dubbed black gold. Enterprising individuals who took control of the oil market soon rose to become the richest men in America. John D. Rockefeller helped develop Standard Oil, which at the height of it's power controlled 90% of the market of oil. The car helped to create a huge demand for gasoline and oil, which in turn powered the American economy. The need for gasoline provided opportunities for job and economic prosperity. The invention of the car led to the development of long distance travel affordable to most people. The era of dirt roads ended with the invention of the car. Public works project were being built in order to construct roads and later a national highway system. These highway projects created large jobs for many men during the depression, alleviating some of the debt and helping the economy rebound from the Great Depression. Much of this economic rebound would not be possible without the invention of the automobile.