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On June 16, 1903, the Ford Motor Company was formed. Several people from Detroit put together $150,000. The Model A was built by a dozen busy men building 650 engines. The first Model A was bought by a Chicago Dentist for $850.00. Ford continued to build race cars setting records for speed and time. Many people came to watch these races and were excited about the idea of owning their own automobile. Models B, C, and F were built. Lots and lots of people wanted to buy these cars. Henry Fords largest investor, Alexander Malcolmson wanted Henry to build more expensive cars for wealthy people. Henry still wanted the cars to be cheaper so he bought all of Malcolmson’s shares for $175,000 in July 1906. The first thing Henry wanted to do was build The bad part of the assembly line was that men were getting
bored and were Henry Ford was considered a hero! It wasn’t long before most people were driving automobiles and people were living better lives because they were making more money. In 1927, Henry unveiled the Model A. It could be bought in four colors and seventeen body styles. The Model A claimed a huge portion of the automobile market. Henry was sixty four years old. He said, "my work is all done." "I’m going to start up a museum and give people a true picture of the development of our country. That’s the only history that is worth preserving." Greenfield Village was founded during the 1920’s in Dearborn, Michigan. On April 7, 1947, Henry Ford died in his sleep of a stroke. Millions of people mourned his death. |
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a huge factory
and make one model. It would be the Model T. The Model T cost much less
than a horse and wagon and was easy to repair. All the main parts were the
same so the car was easy to build. It was strong enough to plows or wagons
if needed. The cost was $850 in 1907. The car became known as "Tin
Lizzie." This car could go anywhere! Henry had so many orders
to buy this car he need to find a way to speed up production. In 1912,
78,440 Model T’s rolled out of the Ford factory. In 1913, Henry and his
engineers designed the assembly line so that men could spend less time walking
back and forth to do their jobs but stay in one place and have the part they
were assembling roll past them. With the assembly line working, it only
took five hours and fifty minutes to build a Model T. This was cut from
twelve and a half hours. The prices were cut on the Model T to $390.00 in
1914.
quitting. In 1914, Henry doubled their wages from $2.50 and
hour to $5.00 an hour. Men came from all over to work for the highest
wages known.
