Henry Ford: Pioneer of the Automobile Age

When asked the question, “If you could meet any American of historical significance who would it be?” For me, I chose Henry Ford. Henry Ford is an iconic American who most people think invented the car, but the car had been invented some time before Ford. Although he did design a brand of car, which is still very much popular today, Henry Ford is famous for using the assembly line to produce his cars much faster and much cheaper than his competitors. A middle-class American could now afford an automobile that was dependable and stylish too. Henry Ford was “an automaker, the man who founded the Automobile Age.” (Brinkley 2003, 523)
Henry Ford is responsible for “perhaps the most revolutionary development in industrial history.” (Watts 2005,

It ultimately set up how we would produce products in the future. He was just a smart business man that became very wealthy by using his head and thinking of a better solution. Cars used to be a luxury item before Henry Ford made them affordable. If I could somehow meet Henry Ford I would ask him what inspired him to use the assembly line? There are a few different theories about how Henry Ford came up with the idea but nobody really knows for sure. He would often change his story when asked too. I might also ask why he hired women, disabled people, and African Americans when other business owners did not? Also, why were you anti-sematic? Why did he despise the Union?
What would Henry Ford think about the world today? I think he would be impressed about how big his company has grown and the number of cars and trucks it produces daily. Some of the assembly lines are fully automated now. Robots have taken over the jobs that humans once did. One thing he might find interesting is that products with his name on them are being sold in many countries around the world. It is a huge accomplishment as a business man having your name known