Henry Ford Biography

Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right. Henry Ford. Henry Ford was the most prominent American business icon of his generation. As founder of the Ford Motor Company, he became one of the richest and well-known people in the world. He revolutionized transportation with the model T and American industry with the idea of the assembly line. Henry Ford captured the hearts and imaginations of an entire generation of Americans. Henry was born on July 30th, 1863, on a farm just outside Detroit, Michigan. He was passionate about mechanics from the moment he was born. As a young boy he worked on a farm with his family and tried to learn as much about mechanics as he could. He married Clara Bryant in 1888 and supported himself by running a sawmill. In 1891, Henry caught his big break by landing a job as an engineer for Edison illuminating company. He then devoted more and more time for his personal experiments on gasoline and from there he started the Ford Motor Company in 1903. He astonished the world by offering his workers very generous wages of $5 a day, which nearly doubled the rate of other manufacturers. Henry Ford realized his dream of producing an automobile that was reasonably priced, reliable, and efficient with the introduction of the model T in 1908. This vehicle initiated a new era in personal transportation. It was easy to operate, maintain, and handle on rough roads. Immediately becoming a huge success. In 1913, Henry introduced the assembly lines which can manufacture a car every 98 minutes. On the assembly line, workers remained in place, adding one component to each automobile as it moved past them on the line. Delivery of parts by conveyor belt to the workers was carefully timed to keep the assembly line moving smoothly and efficiently. The introduction of the moving assembly line revolutionized automobile production by significantly reducing assembly time per vehicle, thus low in costs. Ford's production of model T's made his company the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. Henry Ford was so important to Americans during his time because he represented perseverance and creativity. He was an average American who achieved great success through hard work. He was an icon because he was an extremely successful self made businessman. He made his money by inventing something that changed the American way of life. He took something that was just for the rich and made it available to all Americans. Because he was born poor and lived his life with great generosity, Americans looked up to him. Henry was very wealthy, but he did not forget where he came from. He always paid his workers very well and did anything he could to help the poor. He lived a life that all Americans wish they could. Henry Ford is a man who conquered the business road in the human icon to the Americans of his time.