Henry FordEntrepreneur of the 20th Century

Early life• Born in Dearborn, Michigan

on July 30th, 1863• Grew up on a prosperous

farm• Quickly became interested

in engineering• At age 16 Ford left home to

look for work in Detroit.• First job was as an Engineer

with the Edison IlluminatingCompany.

First inventions• Within two years Ford was

chief engineer at Edison Co.• Using the money from his

increased salary Ford beganworking on first invention, thequardricycle.

• During his work on thequardricycle Ford formed apartnership with William H.Murphy, they were to workvery well together in thefuture.

Ford Motor CO.• After his earlier inventions

and and several failedattempts at privatebusiness, in 1903 Fordcreated the Ford MotorCompany, becoming itsvice-president and chiefengineer.

• Not an instant success, atfirst only a few cars weremade a day.

Model T and the Assemblyline• In 1908 all that

changed• Ford designed the

Model T, the firstcar designed for themasses.

• This design wasmade along arevolutionarymoving assemblyline and was madefrominterchangeableparts.

• By 1918 half of allcars in Americawere model Ts

Ford’s Effects on modernAmerica

• Ford’s movingassembly linerevolutionized the20th century.

• The assembly lineallowed for massproduction, and wasa key factor inshaping the worldinto what it is today.

Ford today• Since its founding in 1903 the Ford Motor

Company has made 146.3 billion dollarsin profits.

• It employs over 213,000 workers worldwide.

• It produces over 5.5 million cars a year• It is the fourth largest car company in

the world.

Work Cited• The Henry Ford: The Life of Henry Ford. The Henry Ford

Museum. 2003.http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/hf/printdefult.asp

• Dobbs, Michael. “Ford and GM Scrutinized for alleged NaziCollaboration.” The Washington Post November 30th, 1998,Page 10A.

• Ford, Henry. “The International Jew, the World’s ForemostProblem.” The Dearborn Independent 1926. Editorial.

• Crmichael, Evan “Rolling into the world” The Detroit Daily.• Ford, Henry. “The International Jew, the World’s Formost

Problem.” The Dearborn Independent 1926. Editorial.• Crmichael, Evan “Rolling into the world” The Detroit Daily

2008.