Understanding The Impact of The T Ford Model in Society

The decade of the 1920's was a time of great change and this period was called the Roaring 20's. Everything was being improved and modernized. Sports, entertainment, science, politics, and communications became part of every-day life. More people than ever before were living in cities. New inventions such as the Model T Ford made every day life much easier.

Before the Model T was invented by Henry Ford, cars were a luxury item. At the beginning of 1908, there were fewer than 200,000 automobiles on the road. The Model T was built for normal people and was moderately priced. Initially, it cost $900 which is equivalent to $20,000 today. Then, after 100,000 were sold, the price dropped to $365. It had a 22-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and was made of a new kind of heat-treated steel which made it much lighter. It weighed only about 1,200 pounds and was stronger than the automobiles before it. It could go as fast as 40 miles per hour and run on gasoline. When oil prices dropped in the 20th century, gasoline became cheaper making the Model T even more affordable to drive.

The Model T Ford made traveling much easier. With the help of this new form of inexpensive transportation, people began moving into big cities and leaving their countryside farms. This created "Urban Sprawl" and towns were turned into cities such as Los Angles and San Francisco. Before this invention, only the rich could travel and only using slower methods of transportation such as the horse drawn carriage.

By the time the Model T Ford was released, the 18th amendment had been written and bootleggers began using it to illegally transport liquor. Upgrading the engine allowed them to reach speeds upwards of 70 mph and some made it a hobby to outrun the cops. Seeing the new market for moonshine, mobsters and gangs got in on it too and began distributing illegal alcohol as well.

By the 1920's, many people wanted new forms of transportation and Henry Ford gave them the sturdy and reliable Model T Ford. Overall, the Model T Ford fueled America's need for change. New jobs, new cities, and a new lifestyle were created. In conclusion, without the Model T Ford, the cars we have today may not exist.