English / The Great Gatsby
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Autor: anton 14 July 2011
Words: 1172 | Pages: 5
There were several people responsible for shaping the political, social, and economic structures in the United States during the twentieth century, one person being Henry Ford. Henry Ford has influenced the automobile industry in an outstanding way.
The early twentieth century marked a dramatic change in the economy of the United States. Businesses and industries began to grow everywhere around the United States. Along with this new factories came new jobs, which lured in many people from all parts of the world. Immigrants from Europe came to the United States looking for job opportunities as well as farmers from the south. These people were also looking for religious, economic and social freedoms. Immigrants, along with others, made the majority of the poor population. These people, who worked in the factories, had long workdays and were paid very little. The average worker made between two hundred and 400 dollars per year. (Downey 10). Millions of workers who lived in New York City were crowded into small apartments known as Ð²Ð‚ÑštenementsÐ²Ð‚Ñœ. These tenements were rundown and filled with disease. Families had to fit everything they owned in basically the one room they were given. People were working very hard just to earn enough money to survive. But others however were experiencing the rewards of the industry. Henry Ford was a man in the automobile industry and is still known world-wide today for his outstanding achievements.
The date of July 30th, 1863 brought us Henry Ford, whose achievements changed the lifestyle of our nation in the 20th century. Henry Ford was born on a forty acre farm near Greenfield village(now Dearborn), Michigan. (Lobb 36). The names of
his parents were William and Mary Ford. Henry Ford began attending school at the age of seven. He wasnÐ²Ð‚â„¢t alone as he had 7 siblings with him. Henry was to restless to be a good student. He struggled in reading and spelling but was very good at math. After school everyday, Henry would go home to do daily chores on the farm. He disliked farming, later saying, Ð²Ð‚Ñšconsidering the results there is altogether too much workÐ²Ð‚Ñœ. (Lobb 36). After 8 years of school, Ford was 16 years of age and walked to Detroit to find work in machine shops. Throughout a period of 3 years he came in contact with the internal combustion engine. He then used this engine on a farm for a Ð²Ð‚Ñšfarm locomotiveÐ²Ð‚Ñœ, a tractor that used the homemade steam engine for power. Nine years of working on the farm, he returned to Detroit a married man. His wife was Clara Bryant who he married in 1888. They had one son called Edsel Bryant. After he had his son, he worked at several machine jobs and learned all about the business. By 1896 he had made a horseless carriage called the Ð²Ð‚ÑšquadricycleÐ²Ð‚Ñœ. It was called this because it only had four horsepower on four bicycle wheels. None of this would have been possible if it wasnÐ²Ð‚â„¢t for his mother and Thomas Edison who were major role models in his life. Ð²Ð‚ÑšOnly his mother understood him, praising him as a born mechanic. She encouraged his experimentation, even giving him her darning needles to make screwdrivers for repairing watches.Ð²Ð‚Ñœ (Lobb 36). His mother unfortunately passed away when he was 12.
Thomas Edison was also a role model because he was the one that told Ford that he had what it takes.
In 1903, the Ford Motor Company was created. The first automobile created was the Model T. The public loved the car. It was available on the market in 1908. While in the process of creating and distributing the Model TÐ²Ð‚â„¢s, Ford came up with a brilliant idea - the assembly line. It mass produced cars, and they could be made more cheaply. Ford placed machines where men would normally work and at each station the same job was being done over and over. By 1927, Ford had sold over 15,000,000 Model TÐ²Ð‚â„¢s in the United States. Several months later, the new Model A came on the market. Not only was Henry Ford associated with his work in the automobile industry, but his philanthropic works as well.
The Ford Motor Company was a very successful automobile business in the 20th century but is also very successful in the present day 21st century. Ford now has many different car models that they sell and also have control over other automobile companies such as Volvo, Jaguar and Volkswagen. Jaguar and Volvo are also considered two of the most luxurious cars in the United States. The automobile industry wouldnÐ²Ð‚â„¢t be where it is today if it wasnÐ²Ð‚â„¢t for Henry Ford.
Henry Ford was on of many people who was responsible for shaping the political, social and economic structures in the United States during the 20th century. From the Model T to the Ford pickup truck (the F150), the Ford Motor Company has always been one of the most successful companies in the United States. Henry Ford could be considered the backbone of the automobile industry.
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