Henry Ford
Ford vehicles are seen in nearly every town across America, and they are
noted for their strength, quality, and durability. However, many people do not
consider the company’s founder, Henry Ford, and his historical significance as
the greatest engineer of all time. He possessed the extraordinary ability to
produce commodities that everyday citizens needed and wanted, to think outside
of the box, and to have the utmost passion for his work. These remarkable
qualities, even some seventy-five years after his demise, continue to make Ford
unparalleled in the field of engineering and are why he is most worthy for the
“Giant Difference Award.”
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan into a farming
family (Harris 13). As early as his toddler years, he showed an enthusiastic
interest in engineering by tinkering with anything he could get his hands on. He
constructed forges and water wheels outside of his school (Harris 15). When
someone in town damaged their clock or watch, they brought it to Henry for
repair. At age seventeen, he left his boyhood residence and moved to Detroit,
Michigan to become a mechanic’s apprentice (Harris 20). After finishing his
apprenticeship, he worked odd jobs such as repairing clocks, building ships, and
doing any work that would improve his mechanical skills (Henry Ford). In 1882,
he moved back to his boyhood home and worked on machinery for several years
until he decided to relocate back to Detroit with his new wife Clara in 1891
(The Life of Henry Ford). He then began his extensive and laborious career in
the field of automobiles, creating one of the most powerful companies in
history. The Ford Motor Company is now known for producing some of the
bestselling vehicles of all time, reinventing the assembly line, helping with
war efforts, and giving employees the best workplaces
possible.
One of the crucial reasons that Henry Ford became the most successful
engineer ever was the fact that he created what the everyday citizen desired and
needed. After he founded the Ford Motor Company and the demand for his vehicles
skyrocketed, Ford was required to hire more workers. However, he refused to pay
his workers the typical wage at that time period of $2.35, so he decided to more
than double it (Curcio 43). Workers were now flocking to the Ford Motor Company
for the high salaries and the wonderful job opportunities there. Ford then
proceeded to shorten the work day by an hour and shorten the work week by not
making his employees work Saturdays (Harris 42). Hard working citizens at the
time wanted nothing more than higher pay and to work less, and Ford gave then
just that. The salary change was miniscule compared to his grandest concept,
which would eventually set him apart from every engineer previously and
afterward. His intention was to construct a vehicle that was lighter, faster,
more maneuverable, and durable. In 1908, he fulfilled his intention, improving
upon all but one of the parts in an earlier car model, the Model N; the result
was the Model T (Harris 38). The Model T was constructed out of a previously
unthought-of of alloy, making it only 1,200 pounds, and the motor was
essentially reinvented, making the vehicle much faster (Curcio 51). The design
of the Model T was not the main cause for its insane popularity; the reason was
its availability. The Model T was mass produced on the assembly line, which Ford
also reinvented, and sold for only $850 (Curcio 44). Some argue that the Model T
was not anything spectacular, and that it was a cheap little car that only came
in black. Nevertheless, the true reputation of the Model T is summed up
wonderfully on the WYOTech website: “The Model T was unquestionably the most
important and influential car of the 20th century. The first car to be
mass-produced using the assembly line system, it was also the first automobile
to be affordable to most middle-class Americans. The car that‘put America on
wheels’ and its unparalleled success accelerated the demand for paved roads and
highways that ultimately connected every city and town in North America”.
Whether it was doubling average wages or creating a car like no one had ever
seen before at a fraction of the price, Henry did what he had to do for the
greater good of the common citizen.
One of the most extraordinary qualities about the mind of Henry Ford that
eventually led to his reputation as the greatest engineer of all time was his
ability to think outside of the box. Soon after the popularity of his vehicles
skyrocketed, Ford was faced with the dilemma of his output of cars being lower
than the demand for them. Any mediocre businessman would know that more vehicles
should be constructed. Ford; however, took it to the next level. Borrowing ideas
such as continuous flow from mills and canning factories, inventory system from
grocery stores, and conveyor belts from meat-packing industries, he built upon
the idea of the assembly line, making it more efficient and much quicker (Harris 54).
Production of chassis went from twelve and a half hours before the assembly line to
slightly less than six hours (Curcio 67). Before the Ford Motor Company was established
and while Henry was still an aspiring engineer, he went against the grain with how
engines were supposed to be constructed. He did not believe that steam or electric cars
were the wave of the future; gasoline powered engines were what needed to be on
the market. He worked upon this proposition until, in 1893 on Christmas Eve, he
completed his first one-cylinder gasoline engine (Harris 39). He took his
immensely strong faith in the gasoline engine all the way up to his founding of
the Ford Motor Company, where he finally got to put what he wanted into action
on a larger scale. Another example of how Henry thought outside of the box was
his intense desire for there to be peace. When the world was on the brink of
World War I, Henry funded expeditions to Europe to help prevent the hostility
(Henry Ford). When fighting did break out, he stopped a large volume of his
automotive manufacturing in order to assist production in items such as helmets,
airplane motors, and tanks (Harris 59). Numerous skeptics say that Ford did
nothing to benefit society and that none of his advancements were really his own
ideas. These skeptics say that he did not invent the automobile or the assembly
line, and therefore does not deserve the praise that he is given. It is true
that Ford did not invent these wonderful innovations, but these doubters are
inaccurate about why Ford is given so much appreciation. He is recognized not
for coming up with these ideas, but for changing and tweaking them until they
were flawless. He possessed ingenuity that, at first, appears to be so simple,
but when put into action it created some of the most influential decisions in
history.
The one quality that every person needs to be successful in his or her
profession is to have a burning passion for what he or she is doing. This aspect
was abundant in Henry Ford’s personality and is the sole reason that he is the
greatest engineer of all time. Ford was once surprised by his engineers when
they constructed a brand new Ford car while he was away. Upon returning, Henry
began ripping the doors off of the hinges, smashing windows, and destroying
anything else he could get his hands on (Curcio 81). The message was clear: do
not mess with how Ford oversees his business; the Ford automobiles were
manufactured to his precise orders and no other way. Some say that Ford must
have been a power hungry lunatic to act in that manner; however, this message
reveals that his passion was so deep that occasionally it turned into anger.
Without a burning desire for what he was striving for, he would not have locked
himself in a twelve foot by fifteen foot room for sixteen hours every day for
weeks on end with the sole purpose of creating the most magnificent vehicle
ever. Without that desire he would surely not toil away at finding a solution
for the smallest requests or complaints. Without that desire he would not buy
out other investors in the Ford Motor Company or fight immense law suits just
for the sake of keeping the company in his control and how he wanted it (Harris
69). Without his deep ardor none of his amazing accomplishments would have ever
happened. He strove for what was best and how he wanted his products, and he
refused to let any obstacle stand in his way. The fact that he was one of the
most devoted people in history, and that he applied all of that devotion into
his love for mechanics is why he is, undeniably, the greatest engineer
ever.
Extremely few men or women have gone down in history for his or her
particular advancement in the field of engineering. Even fewer of those select
engineers have risen to such a level that they are unparalleled. Henry Ford
started from a schoolboy with a passion for mechanics and took his love all the
way to the top, creating one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world.
He accomplished this amazing feat by using qualities such as knowing what
everyday citizens needed and wanted, having the ability to think outside of the
box, and having more passion for what he was doing than any other man or woman
in history. These reasons are why Henry Ford is the most spectacular engineer of
all time and deserves the “Giant Difference Award” more than anyone
else.
Harris, Jacqueline. Henry Ford. New York. Franklin Watts.
1984. Print.
Curcio, Vincent. Henry Ford. Oxford. Oxford University Press. 2013.
Print.
“Henry Ford.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. September 2013. EBSCOHost Web. 3
April 2014.
The Life of Henry Ford. n.p.
2013. Web. 6 April 2014.
Ury, Allen B. “The Top 10 Best-Selling Cars of All Time.” WYOTech. 15 July 2009. Web. 20 April
2014.
Ford vehicles are seen in nearly every town across America, and they are
noted for their strength, quality, and durability. However, many people do not
consider the company’s founder, Henry Ford, and his historical significance as
the greatest engineer of all time. He possessed the extraordinary ability to
produce commodities that everyday citizens needed and wanted, to think outside
of the box, and to have the utmost passion for his work. These remarkable
qualities, even some seventy-five years after his demise, continue to make Ford
unparalleled in the field of engineering and are why he is most worthy for the
“Giant Difference Award.”
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan into a farming
family (Harris 13). As early as his toddler years, he showed an enthusiastic
interest in engineering by tinkering with anything he could get his hands on. He
constructed forges and water wheels outside of his school (Harris 15). When
someone in town damaged their clock or watch, they brought it to Henry for
repair. At age seventeen, he left his boyhood residence and moved to Detroit,
Michigan to become a mechanic’s apprentice (Harris 20). After finishing his
apprenticeship, he worked odd jobs such as repairing clocks, building ships, and
doing any work that would improve his mechanical skills (Henry Ford). In 1882,
he moved back to his boyhood home and worked on machinery for several years
until he decided to relocate back to Detroit with his new wife Clara in 1891
(The Life of Henry Ford). He then began his extensive and laborious career in
the field of automobiles, creating one of the most powerful companies in
history. The Ford Motor Company is now known for producing some of the
bestselling vehicles of all time, reinventing the assembly line, helping with
war efforts, and giving employees the best workplaces
possible.
One of the crucial reasons that Henry Ford became the most successful
engineer ever was the fact that he created what the everyday citizen desired and
needed. After he founded the Ford Motor Company and the demand for his vehicles
skyrocketed, Ford was required to hire more workers. However, he refused to pay
his workers the typical wage at that time period of $2.35, so he decided to more
than double it (Curcio 43). Workers were now flocking to the Ford Motor Company
for the high salaries and the wonderful job opportunities there. Ford then
proceeded to shorten the work day by an hour and shorten the work week by not
making his employees work Saturdays (Harris 42). Hard working citizens at the
time wanted nothing more than higher pay and to work less, and Ford gave then
just that. The salary change was miniscule compared to his grandest concept,
which would eventually set him apart from every engineer previously and
afterward. His intention was to construct a vehicle that was lighter, faster,
more maneuverable, and durable. In 1908, he fulfilled his intention, improving
upon all but one of the parts in an earlier car model, the Model N; the result
was the Model T (Harris 38). The Model T was constructed out of a previously
unthought-of of alloy, making it only 1,200 pounds, and the motor was
essentially reinvented, making the vehicle much faster (Curcio 51). The design
of the Model T was not the main cause for its insane popularity; the reason was
its availability. The Model T was mass produced on the assembly line, which Ford
also reinvented, and sold for only $850 (Curcio 44). Some argue that the Model T
was not anything spectacular, and that it was a cheap little car that only came
in black. Nevertheless, the true reputation of the Model T is summed up
wonderfully on the WYOTech website: “The Model T was unquestionably the most
important and influential car of the 20th century. The first car to be
mass-produced using the assembly line system, it was also the first automobile
to be affordable to most middle-class Americans. The car that‘put America on
wheels’ and its unparalleled success accelerated the demand for paved roads and
highways that ultimately connected every city and town in North America”.
Whether it was doubling average wages or creating a car like no one had ever
seen before at a fraction of the price, Henry did what he had to do for the
greater good of the common citizen.
One of the most extraordinary qualities about the mind of Henry Ford that
eventually led to his reputation as the greatest engineer of all time was his
ability to think outside of the box. Soon after the popularity of his vehicles
skyrocketed, Ford was faced with the dilemma of his output of cars being lower
than the demand for them. Any mediocre businessman would know that more vehicles
should be constructed. Ford; however, took it to the next level. Borrowing ideas
such as continuous flow from mills and canning factories, inventory system from
grocery stores, and conveyor belts from meat-packing industries, he built upon
the idea of the assembly line, making it more efficient and much quicker (Harris 54).
Production of chassis went from twelve and a half hours before the assembly line to
slightly less than six hours (Curcio 67). Before the Ford Motor Company was established
and while Henry was still an aspiring engineer, he went against the grain with how
engines were supposed to be constructed. He did not believe that steam or electric cars
were the wave of the future; gasoline powered engines were what needed to be on
the market. He worked upon this proposition until, in 1893 on Christmas Eve, he
completed his first one-cylinder gasoline engine (Harris 39). He took his
immensely strong faith in the gasoline engine all the way up to his founding of
the Ford Motor Company, where he finally got to put what he wanted into action
on a larger scale. Another example of how Henry thought outside of the box was
his intense desire for there to be peace. When the world was on the brink of
World War I, Henry funded expeditions to Europe to help prevent the hostility
(Henry Ford). When fighting did break out, he stopped a large volume of his
automotive manufacturing in order to assist production in items such as helmets,
airplane motors, and tanks (Harris 59). Numerous skeptics say that Ford did
nothing to benefit society and that none of his advancements were really his own
ideas. These skeptics say that he did not invent the automobile or the assembly
line, and therefore does not deserve the praise that he is given. It is true
that Ford did not invent these wonderful innovations, but these doubters are
inaccurate about why Ford is given so much appreciation. He is recognized not
for coming up with these ideas, but for changing and tweaking them until they
were flawless. He possessed ingenuity that, at first, appears to be so simple,
but when put into action it created some of the most influential decisions in
history.
The one quality that every person needs to be successful in his or her
profession is to have a burning passion for what he or she is doing. This aspect
was abundant in Henry Ford’s personality and is the sole reason that he is the
greatest engineer of all time. Ford was once surprised by his engineers when
they constructed a brand new Ford car while he was away. Upon returning, Henry
began ripping the doors off of the hinges, smashing windows, and destroying
anything else he could get his hands on (Curcio 81). The message was clear: do
not mess with how Ford oversees his business; the Ford automobiles were
manufactured to his precise orders and no other way. Some say that Ford must
have been a power hungry lunatic to act in that manner; however, this message
reveals that his passion was so deep that occasionally it turned into anger.
Without a burning desire for what he was striving for, he would not have locked
himself in a twelve foot by fifteen foot room for sixteen hours every day for
weeks on end with the sole purpose of creating the most magnificent vehicle
ever. Without that desire he would surely not toil away at finding a solution
for the smallest requests or complaints. Without that desire he would not buy
out other investors in the Ford Motor Company or fight immense law suits just
for the sake of keeping the company in his control and how he wanted it (Harris
69). Without his deep ardor none of his amazing accomplishments would have ever
happened. He strove for what was best and how he wanted his products, and he
refused to let any obstacle stand in his way. The fact that he was one of the
most devoted people in history, and that he applied all of that devotion into
his love for mechanics is why he is, undeniably, the greatest engineer
ever.
Extremely few men or women have gone down in history for his or her
particular advancement in the field of engineering. Even fewer of those select
engineers have risen to such a level that they are unparalleled. Henry Ford
started from a schoolboy with a passion for mechanics and took his love all the
way to the top, creating one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world.
He accomplished this amazing feat by using qualities such as knowing what
everyday citizens needed and wanted, having the ability to think outside of the
box, and having more passion for what he was doing than any other man or woman
in history. These reasons are why Henry Ford is the most spectacular engineer of
all time and deserves the “Giant Difference Award” more than anyone
else.
Harris, Jacqueline. Henry Ford. New York. Franklin Watts.
1984. Print.
Curcio, Vincent. Henry Ford. Oxford. Oxford University Press. 2013.
Print.
“Henry Ford.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. September 2013. EBSCOHost Web. 3
April 2014.
The Life of Henry Ford. n.p.
2013. Web. 6 April 2014.
Ury, Allen B. “The Top 10 Best-Selling Cars of All Time.” WYOTech. 15 July 2009. Web. 20 April
2014.