Henry Ford-The Rise of Automobiles in America

In 1896, a gasoline-powered horseless carriage was built in a backyard. The car called Quadricycle was built by a young Henry Ford. Henry Ford established the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and within 5 years, he began rolling out cars. The first car created by Ford Motor company was the Model-T, which industrialized the industry of automobiles. Ford's company introduced to the world mass production lines and methods including a large production plant, assembly lines as well as interchangeable parts. As a result, Ford's company made millions and became a world leader in the industry of Automobiles. Ford's mass production company was so efficient that his company was able to turn out a Model-T every 24 seconds. As production rates for Model-T cars rose, so did the demand for cars. By 1918, half of all American cars were Model-T. In 1919, Henry Ford passed along Ford Motor Company to his son Edsel, but retained most of the company's control. After a court battle, Ford bought out all the minority shareholders of his company and by 1927, Ford's company had came out with a new generation of automobiles by ceasing production of Model-T and mass producing Model-A. The Model-A had a better horsepower, brakes, engine as well as numerous other improvements making Ford Motor Company the largest Automobile Manufacturer in the world. Fords Motor Company in 1927 had made 15 million Model-T cars and had opened many manufacturing plants all over the world. Ford was a hard man to cooperate with, he fought against the United Automobile Workers. Eventually Ford signed an agreement with the UAW, but not before he tried shutting down Ford Motor Company. Ford later on in his life ran for Senate, published Anti-Semitic works and also accepted an award called "The Grand Cross of German Eagle". Ford died only two years later after handing his Grandson his company in 1945. Ford's vision helped create a legacy of Ford vehicles. Scattered throughout the world are parts of his company today.

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