It would be wrong if I did not start this blog series with the first car that was ever mass produced in America. That’s right, we are starting this series by talking about Ford’s Model-T.

The Model-T was sold by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927. This car is one of the most significant cars in the history of the United States because it was the first car targeted at the working class citizen. The automobiles made before the Model-T were considered a luxury and no ordinary individual with an ordinary income could possibly afford one. In fact, automobiles were so rare and unaffordable that before the Model-T hit the market, there were fewer than 200,000 cars on the road. Ford’s Model-T was so affordable compared to other automobiles made during this era because of the assembly line.

Henry Ford not only revolutionized the automobile industry, but he revolutionized factory life as a whole when he invented the assembly line. Before the assembly line, cars were put together one at a time in a painstakingly slow process that was not nearly as efficient. With this ingenious innovation, Henry Ford was able to mass produce the Model-T. Workers were so efficient in this assembly line environment that more than 15,000,000 Model-T automobiles were manufactured during its time of production. That kind of output was unheard of at the time. This otherworldly efficiency gave Ford Motors a stranglehold on the automobile industry for a very long time.

This car was truly an automobile that impacted history. The Model-T’s success not only provided average Americans with easy access to cars, but it boosted the economy by providing countless jobs at Ford assembly factories. Henry Ford provided his factory workers with steady wages that were higher than any other automobile manufacturer at the time. Jobs at Ford factories were some of the most coveted jobs at the time. The one stipulation that Henry Ford had for all of his employees was that all Ford were required to sign a contract stating that they had to purchase a Model-T as soon as they were able to afford one.

This car and the assembly line that produced it benefited countless Americans. The Model-T benefited the American people in all aspects of their lives, whether they needed a job or just a more efficient way to commute to work.

This car has stood the test of time. Despite being first manufactured over a century ago, there are still many Model-Ts in operating condition throughout the world. It is estimated that there are still over 10,000 Model-Ts still road operational throughout the world today. The longevity of this car just adds to its legend.

There is an argument to be made that the Model-T was the most influential automobile in American history. This car helped shift the target consumer of automobiles from the rich and elite, to the everyday American. Without this car, a world where everyone who wants a car can get one (i.e. present day) may not exist. The easy accessibility that we take for granted is all thanks to the Model-T.