Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) was an American industrialist who is one of the most renowned business magnates of the 20th century. Born in a farming family, Ford showed his mechanical aptitude from an early age by repairing watches of family and friends. He began his career as an engineer but later quit his job to become an entrepreneur. His Ford Motor Company went on to became the dominant automobile manufacturer with its Model T car capturing 50% of the American market. Ford made several revolutionary contributions to industry including the moving assembly line, the $5 day wage and the five-day, 40-hour work week. Ford received numerous honors during his lifetime and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential people of the 20th century. Know all about Henry Ford including his biography, interesting facts about him, his major achievements and his best quotes.
BIOGRAPHY
On July 30, 1863, Henry Ford was born on a farm in Greenfield Township, Michigan. He was the first surviving child of William and Mary Ford. Henry’s father wanted him to eventually take over the family farm. However, Henry had little interest in the farm. On April 11, 1888, Henry Ford married Clara Jane Bryant at her parent’s home in Greenfield Township, Michigan. In 1903, with the help of investors, Ford founded the Ford Motor Company. The famous Model T was introduced in 1908. It transformed the automobile industry and became the most popular car in the United States. Consequently Ford became one of the richest and best known businessmen in the nation. Henry Ford died on April 7, 1947, due to a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 83. Know about his family, childhood, life, marriage, career and death though his biography.
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ACHIEVEMENTS
In 1896, at the age of 32, Henry Ford completed his first experimental self-propelled vehicle or automobile. He called it the Quadricycle as it ran on four bicycle tires. After an unsuccessful association with the Detroit Automobile Company, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company. In October 1908, the Model T was launched by Ford Motors at $850 making it the first car which could be afforded by middle class people. It was a huge success and it initiated the rise of Ford Motors into becoming one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world. Henry Ford is widely regarded as one of the most influential people of the 20th century. Know more through his 10 major accomplishments.
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INTERESTING FACTS
There are many interesting details from the life of Henry Ford. He once regained the trust of the market by building a race car and he ran for a position in the United States Senate in the 1918 elections. He infamously published antisemitic material and was mentioned by Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf. He had a lifelong friendship with the famous American inventor Thomas Edison and he patented a car built almost entirely of agricultural plastic. Moreover, the notorious criminal Clyde Barrow allegedly thanked Ford for his cars as they helped Clyde escape pursuing policemen. Know more through these 10 interesting facts about Henry Ford.
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BEST QUOTATIONS
1. “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”
2. “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
3. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
4. “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”
5. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
6. “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
7. “If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability.”
8. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
9. “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
10. “Vision without execution is just hallucination.”