Henry Ford - [UNIT 2] HISTORY

Henry Ford

An American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company

Edison Company

The company founded by Thomas Edison

Quadricycle

A four-wheeled vehicle

Combustion

The process of burning something

Gasoline

A fuel commonly used in internal combustion engines.

Traction engine

A self-propelled steam engine used for powering machinery such as threshing machines or sawmills.

Internal combustion engine

An engine that generates power by burning fuel within the engine.

Edison Illuminating Company

A company founded by Thomas Edison to provide electric lighting.

Ford Quadricycle

The first vehicle built by Henry Ford in 1896

Thomas Edison

A renowned American inventor and businessman who was a close friend of Henry Ford and provided him with advice and support.

Ethanol engine

An engine that runs on ethanol

Assembly line production

A manufacturing process where products move along a line with different stations

John and Horace Dodge

Brothers who were key figures in the early automotive industry, known for their involvement with Ford Motor Company and later founding the Dodge brand.

Ford Motor Company

Established in 1903, it became one of the most successful and iconic automobile manufacturers globally, founded by Henry Ford and his partners.

Ford's Assembly

The process of manufacturing cars developed by Henry Ford, which involved the use of moving assembly lines to increase efficiency and produce vehicles for the masses.

Model T

The vehicle designed by Henry Ford that became immensely popular due to its affordability, durability, and ease of maintenance.

Ford Model T

A highly engineered and innovative vehicle designed by Henry Ford, known for its affordability, durability, and impact on American society.

Highland Park

The location of a Ford Motor Company plant where mass production techniques, including the assembly line, were first implemented for the Model T.

James Couzens

A key executive at Ford Motor Company who played a crucial role in the success of the Model T and the implementation of the assembly line.

Charles Sorensen

An engineer and executive at Ford Motor Company credited with championing the assembly line for mass production of the Model T.

Minimum Wage Increase

A strategy implemented by Ford Motor Company to improve employee retention by raising the minimum wage to $5 a day and setting a 40-hour work week.

$5 wage

The groundbreaking wage introduced by Henry Ford for his employees, which was considered high at the time and aimed to reduce turnover rates.

Ford Melting Pot

An unusual ritual at the Ford Motor Company where graduating workers would symbolically enter a cauldron in their traditional costumes and emerge dressed in suits, reflecting assimilation into American culture.

Social engineering

The practice of manipulating people's behaviors and societal norms to achieve specific goals, as exemplified by Henry Ford's strict rules and inspections for his employees.

Fordism

A system of mass production pioneered by Henry Ford, characterized by assembly line techniques and high wages for workers.

World War I

A global conflict from 1914 to 1918, during which Henry Ford's views on war and peace were controversial.

Rouge River Plant

A large manufacturing facility built by Ford Motor Company with disputed funds, leading to legal battles.

Dearborn Independent

A newspaper owned by Henry Ford, where he published controversial and anti-Semitic articles in the 1920s.

International Jew

A series of articles published by Henry Ford in the Dearborn Independent, promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

The International Jew, The World's Foremost Problem

A book published by Henry Ford in three volumes, known for its controversial and anti-Semitic content.

Libel

A published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation.

Adolf Hitler

German dictator who was influenced by Henry Ford's writings.

Model T lifespan

The iconic car produced by Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927, known for its boxy design and lack of modern styling changes.

Edsel Ford

Son of Henry Ford and an executive at Ford Motor Company, known for his more modern approach to car design and his strained relationship with his father.

Fordlandia

A failed rubber plantation project in the Brazilian Amazon initiated by Henry Ford, aimed at creating a utopian community for workers.

Harry Bennett

Head of Ford's security wing at the Rouge plant, known for his aggressive tactics against workers and opposition to unionization.

Ford Hunger March

A protest march by unemployed workers in 1932 from Detroit to the Rouge plant, met with violence from police and Ford Security.

United Auto Workers

Labor union that organized workers in the automobile industry, including at Ford Motor Company's Rouge plant.

Grand Cross of the German Eagle

The highest award given to a foreigner by Nazi Germany, awarded to Henry Ford in 1938 for his contributions to the German war effort.

Sherman tanks, B-24 bombers, and jeeps

Military vehicles produced by Ford Motor Company during World War II as part of the American war effort.

Slave labor

The use of forced labor in Ford's German branch during World War II to produce war machines for the Third Reich.