Henry Ford

One of the industrial giants who changed American society was Henry Ford born on a farm in Michigan in 1863. He grew up to bring forth some of the most revolutionary improvements in automotive technology in the early 20th century. His outstanding mechanical ability led him to become interested in the new automobiles in the early 1900's. Though he did not invent the automobile, he improved upon everyone else's designs. He was a person who believed in inexpensive, efficient production, so he established standards for his plant and workers. He also standardized and produced many new auto parts for his Ford Motor Company cars. Then he studied the workers' problems and thousands of automobiles per year. In fact, his plants had produced 15 million Model Ts by 1927. Ford's personality was not all thrift, efficiency, and inventiveness, however. He was a man who was cold and who could not keep pace with the competition due to his own rigidity. His company suffered because of his desire to maintain the existing state instead of meeting and heating the competition by changing his product. Finally, he saw that he must change or fail; therefore, he introduced a new type engine and once again took over the automobile market. Ford left a legacy of millions of dollars, millions of jobs for American workers, and millions of satisfied customers.