Early Ford Production

This course examines the industrial transformation led by Henry Ford in the early 20th century. It traces the objective to build a reliable motor car for the general public, moving away from the era's custom-built luxury models. You will learn about the engineering of the Model T, which used vanadium steel for durability on rural roads and a standardized design to streamline manufacturing. A central focus is the development of the moving assembly line at the Highland Park plant in 1913. This innovation changed production methods by bringing parts to the worker, significantly reducing the time required to build a chassis. The reliance on interchangeable parts and technical synchronization established new standards for modern engineering and mass production. Beyond mechanical innovations, the series explores the social and logistical shifts that defined Fordism. It covers the introduction of the Five-Dollar Day, a policy that doubled wages to reduce labor turnover and enable employees to purchase the products they manufactured. This economic shift was accompanied by the Sociological Department's oversight of worker lifestyles and corporate paternalism. The course also analyzes vertical integration through the River Rouge complex, where Ford managed the entire supply chain from raw materials like coal and iron to the final assembly. Finally, the series reviews the decline of the Model T as consumer preferences shifted and explains how Ford’s methods provided the blueprint for global industrial development.