Car is a kind of practical vehicle used for transportation nowaday. People can hardly live without it. However, its popularity was gained through a complicated and long-time course, especially in the first half of the twentieth century. The newly established automobile industry in American boosted the United States economy, created new opportunities and jobs, at the same time, brought environmental problem.
Before car was invented, people were looking for a more convenient and pleasant way for travelling. Vehicle was invented under this demand. First automobile patent was obtained in 1787 by Oliver Evans, an American inventor.[1] However, it was more of a “prototype” and incapable of family use because it was not introduced to the mass market. It took about a hundred years for Oliver and his successors to explore mass-production techniques. Benz’s establishment of modern car was a significant milestone in the era. Benz helped increase the fuel-consuming efficiency for vehicles. Furthermore, Henry Ford revitalized the vehicle industry by offering affordable, capable Model T which officially made modern cars widely available to mass market. The Model T was introduced in 1908 came with black color and cost a modest $850, values $20800 nowadays, which made vehicles affordable. A competent accountant at that time could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist earned at the average of $2,500. [2] As new technologies began to emerge, vehicles became more and more capable and powerful. For example, an ultimate steam-powered vehicle in 1920 could be accelerated to more than 100 miles per hour.[3] At the same time, more manufacturers entered the car business such as GM. William C. Durant formed the General Motors Corporation (GM) in 1908 as a small car maker. Unlike Ford, who was interested in creating utilitarian vehicles, Durant dreamed of controlling entire car industry and creating expensive luxury cars since he saw the opportunity of car business in US in early 20th century so that he began by purchasing the Buick Motor Company in 1904 and sold stock to finance its operations. By 1908, Buick had become the largest car manufacturer in the United States.[4] The same year he founded General Motors in order to expand his product line. Due to Durant’s poor management, he lost control of the company twice, in 1910 and 1920. Durant’s successor, Alfred Sloan, then took the charge. He introduced a series of innovative and radical change in the company which helps GM become the largest automobile manufacturer in US in 1930.[5] These rapid developments and intense competitions between car manufacturers helped boost the United State vehicle market share in global vehicle industry. Up to then, the United States dominated global auto production, providing 85 percent of all the world 's vehicles and exporting 10 percent of these to foreign markets.[6] It was also a significant symbol of the American Dream: a house, a car and 2.5 children.[7] It’s not just a tool. It’s the spirit. What’s more, the growth rate of vehicles was increased exponentially and helped create brand-new opportunities and jobs. By 1917, the Highland Park workforce had increased to 36,000 which was higher than ever before. Thanks to Henry Ford and his assembly line, there were over 3 times more passenger cars in 1930 than 1918 and the strong demand of workers forced a higher number of workforce.[8] The industry 's growth meant that hundreds of thousands of workers were newly employed by the auto manufacturers, parts suppliers from various factories, repair shops in towns, and other related industries. Workers in these factories were paid well as individual workers. However, they were not able to alliance themselves because it was a condition that Ford and the other corporate heads enforced through various means …show more content…
Fuel provided in the first half of the twentieth century was not as “clean” as it is nowadays. Gasoline producers began to add a kind of toxic element, Lead, to gasoline in 1923 in order to improve engine performance which even resulted in 97% lead in the atmosphere that were polluted by gasoline with lead in 1970s.[12] Lead may cause high blood pressure and abdominal pain for human beings. It also severely threatened children’s health. [13] However, lead, as the additive, was not banned until the end of twentieth
Before car was invented, people were looking for a more convenient and pleasant way for travelling. Vehicle was invented under this demand. First automobile patent was obtained in 1787 by Oliver Evans, an American inventor.[1] However, it was more of a “prototype” and incapable of family use because it was not introduced to the mass market. It took about a hundred years for Oliver and his successors to explore mass-production techniques. Benz’s establishment of modern car was a significant milestone in the era. Benz helped increase the fuel-consuming efficiency for vehicles. Furthermore, Henry Ford revitalized the vehicle industry by offering affordable, capable Model T which officially made modern cars widely available to mass market. The Model T was introduced in 1908 came with black color and cost a modest $850, values $20800 nowadays, which made vehicles affordable. A competent accountant at that time could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist earned at the average of $2,500. [2] As new technologies began to emerge, vehicles became more and more capable and powerful. For example, an ultimate steam-powered vehicle in 1920 could be accelerated to more than 100 miles per hour.[3] At the same time, more manufacturers entered the car business such as GM. William C. Durant formed the General Motors Corporation (GM) in 1908 as a small car maker. Unlike Ford, who was interested in creating utilitarian vehicles, Durant dreamed of controlling entire car industry and creating expensive luxury cars since he saw the opportunity of car business in US in early 20th century so that he began by purchasing the Buick Motor Company in 1904 and sold stock to finance its operations. By 1908, Buick had become the largest car manufacturer in the United States.[4] The same year he founded General Motors in order to expand his product line. Due to Durant’s poor management, he lost control of the company twice, in 1910 and 1920. Durant’s successor, Alfred Sloan, then took the charge. He introduced a series of innovative and radical change in the company which helps GM become the largest automobile manufacturer in US in 1930.[5] These rapid developments and intense competitions between car manufacturers helped boost the United State vehicle market share in global vehicle industry. Up to then, the United States dominated global auto production, providing 85 percent of all the world 's vehicles and exporting 10 percent of these to foreign markets.[6] It was also a significant symbol of the American Dream: a house, a car and 2.5 children.[7] It’s not just a tool. It’s the spirit. What’s more, the growth rate of vehicles was increased exponentially and helped create brand-new opportunities and jobs. By 1917, the Highland Park workforce had increased to 36,000 which was higher than ever before. Thanks to Henry Ford and his assembly line, there were over 3 times more passenger cars in 1930 than 1918 and the strong demand of workers forced a higher number of workforce.[8] The industry 's growth meant that hundreds of thousands of workers were newly employed by the auto manufacturers, parts suppliers from various factories, repair shops in towns, and other related industries. Workers in these factories were paid well as individual workers. However, they were not able to alliance themselves because it was a condition that Ford and the other corporate heads enforced through various means …show more content…
Fuel provided in the first half of the twentieth century was not as “clean” as it is nowadays. Gasoline producers began to add a kind of toxic element, Lead, to gasoline in 1923 in order to improve engine performance which even resulted in 97% lead in the atmosphere that were polluted by gasoline with lead in 1970s.[12] Lead may cause high blood pressure and abdominal pain for human beings. It also severely threatened children’s health. [13] However, lead, as the additive, was not banned until the end of twentieth