The Assembly Line: Shaping 20th Century America

The Industrial revolution in America was made up of many new industries and innovations. The backbone of it all was the auto industry and the assembly line. Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company started the assembly line phenomenon that would take over industry to this day. The transformation started by Ford made factory production much more efficient and speedy. The assembly line would bring Ford to the top of industrial companies and made the automobile the most advanced item produced in factories at the time. The assembly line marks the real start to the industrial revolution in America and provided the platform for the future of American industry and financial stability.

Henry Ford and his assembly lines had a great positive effect to the industrial world. They provided a production system that was followed by nearly every factory, the success of Ford allowed a large number of people to be employed, and it put the automobile on the map as one of the most consumed and demanded products. The assembly line showed the world that workers could work more efficiently if they repeated the same tasks over and over then passed the product on when they finished their designated steps. These proven methods allowed for much faster production and more quality products. Industry took off once other companies embraced the assembly line and realized that most products can be made on it. The assembly line required a large number of employees and in Ford’s case turned the state of Michigan into the auto capital of the world. Years later other car companies brought their factories there because there were so many trained auto workers who were used to the assembly line. The effects today are clear. Chevrolet, Chrysler, and many others have their main factories in Michigan. Due to Ford mainly the Midwest became very profitable not only for automobile companies but to the companies that made the materials the cars used. The efficiency of the assembly line showed America that the automobile was a strong machine that was well built and it hit the market running. Everyone who could afford one bought one and the rest dreamed and saved for one. The spread of the car also marked the spread of America and was a big part for the development outside of cities. The influx of new jobs in the north also was a catalyst for the migration of the African American worker from the south. There were so many factory jobs and at the same time there was a decline in production from the south, black workers flocked to the north to grab up the open jobs. This is why cities like Detroit and New York have a large number of heavy African American dominate neighborhoods.