1. Ford Model-T & The Cycle of Prosperity
Henry Ford
Ford Model-T
&
The Cycle of Prosperity
This presentation has been designed for the GCSE course on the American Boom.
Opportunities exist for revision, literacy and modelling. Impress the pants of an Ofsted inspector (someone who can’t teach) if you got the students to grade their own work using the mark scheme, Remember press ‘P’ if you wish to return or undo the last action.

2. Debrief Assembly Line Simulation
How did you feel designing/making your own car at the beginning of the activity compared with working in the assembly line?
What factors made producing the drawing on the assembly line difficult or frustrating?
How did members of your group cope with the stress or monotony?
What made you want to work hard? What made you not want to work hard?
How did you feel about Ms. Daniel as the factory manager?

3. Comparing the simulation to history
In-class experience
Assembly Line work
Did your best work on your own car
Created one part of the drawing
Most did not see finished product
Work was monotonous and fast-paced
Low light, recording of loud noise
Little choice about which part to draw
Little control over job
Craftspersons work on product from start to finish
Much more efficient… produced more cars in short period of time
More standardized products
Assembly line workers complete only one part of a product
Monotonous work
Physical strain and injuries from repetitive work
Poor factory conditions
High competition and high turnover for jobs
Machine-like tasks with no creativity and little thought

4. Ford Model-T
In 1908, Henry Ford built a car which everyone could afford to buy.
It was slow, ugly and difficult to drive, and was nicknamed “Tin Lizzie” by the American people.

5. The Ford Model-T
The attraction of the Ford Model-T was that its price continually decreased.
By 1929 Ford was producing more than one car per minute.

6. Mass Production
Ford was able to sell cars at a low cost because they were mass-produced and every part was Standardized (only one color and one engine size were available).
By producing a large number of cars on an Assembly Line Ford needed fewer skilled workers, and that cut the cost of salary.
Cut unnecessary motion to a minimum, speeding up production

7. In 1913, Ford invented the Assembly Line to speed up production.
Mass Production
In 1913, Ford invented the Assembly Line to speed up production.

8. How would this have helped to cut production costs?
Key Quote – Henry Ford
«A customer can have any color he likes for his car as long as it's black.»
How would this have helped to cut production costs?

9. Assembly Lines Henry Ford 1925
‘… each man and each machine do only one thing ... the thing is to keep everything in motion and take the work to the man, not the man to the work’
The way an assembly line works is:
a car frame is put on a conveyer belt
and each person puts one piece
on every car that comes down the line.
Henry Ford 1925

10. The Cycle of Prosperity!
Car Industry
Mass productions & Standardization lead to increased car sales.
More jobs are created in other industries.
More Standardized parts are needed
The Cycle of Prosperity!
More people with jobs means that they can afford to buy a car!
Jobs in Diners, Motels & Gas Stations.
Steel
Glass
More oil is used
Rubber
More roads are built
Leather

11. The Cycle of Prosperity!
Car Industry
Mass productions & Standardization lead to increased car sales.
More jobs are created in other industries.
More Standardized parts are needed
The Cycle of Prosperity!
In other words, the car industry stimulated other parts of the American economy, creating a boom for all types of industries and thus creating more customers for itself.
More people with jobs means that they can afford to buy a car!
Jobs in Diners, Motels & Gas Stations.
Steel
Glass
More oil is used
Rubber
More roads are built
Leather

12. Aerial view of the Rouge Plant in 1930
In 1929, there were men working in this factory.

13. “Welfare Capitalism”
Employers realize that they have to improve working and living conditions during Progressive Era
Trying to stop unions from forming
Stopping turnover rates by creating happier, healthier employees
Ford’s $5 Day – a very high wage for the time, but...
Sociological Department of Ford Motor Co. made sure workers followed rules for “living right”:
Clean, healthy home environment
No alcohol, no renters (multiple families in one home)
Save money in “Ford” bank (so you could buy a Ford one day!)
If you didn’t do these things, you would get the base pay of $2.34
Generous or creepy/intrusive??

15. Debrief Assembly Line Simulation
How did you feel designing/making your own car at the beginning of the activity compared with working in the assembly line?
What factors made producing the drawing on the assembly line difficult or frustrating?
How did members of your group cope with the stress or monotony?
What made you want to work hard? What made you not want to work hard?
How did you feel about Ms. Daniel as the factory manager?

16. Comparing the simulation to history
In-class experience
Assembly Line work
Did your best work on your own car
Created one part of the drawing
Most did not see finished product
Work was monotonous and fast-paced
Low light, recording of loud noise
Little choice about which part to draw
Little control over job
Craftspersons work on product from start to finish
Much more efficient… produced more cars in short period of time
More standardized products
Assembly line workers complete only one part of a product
Monotonous work
Physical strain and injuries from repetitive work
Poor factory conditions
High competition and high turnover for jobs
Machine-like tasks with no creativity and little thought

17. Let’s Roll Away! Instructions
Answer the questions on page 3 of your Student Booklet
Pair up to discuss and to compare your answers. You will be evaluated for Competency 1 here so let’s speak English 
Teacher: press PAUSE!!

18. ROLL AWAY ! In 1908 1 200 $ Question 1 :
When did Henry Ford make his first Model-T?
Question 2:
What was its selling price?
(before the assembly line)
In 1908
1 200 $

19. ROLL AWAY ! One per minute In 1913 Question 3 :
How many Model-T cars were built?
One per minute
Question 4 :
When did Henry Ford start the assembly line?
In 1913
Ford invented the idea of using an Assembly Line to
speed up production.
Question 5 :
Why did Henry Ford start the assembly line?

20. ALMOST THERE ! Question 6 : How does an assembly line work?
A car frame is put on
a conveyer belt and
as the car moves,
each person adds a
part.
Question 6 :
How does an assembly line work?
Question 7 :
What are some things Henry Ford did that helped society?
He invented the assembly
line which helped lower the
prices, he created jobs, he
made cars more accessible.

21. HERE, WE ARE ! If we work together, we can get
Question 8 :
How can we use Henry Ford's idea in our lives?
If we work together, we can get
the job done more quickly.