Henry Ford's Early Life and Influences

Henry Ford, born in 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan, had a strong fascination with machinery from an early age, influenced significantly by his one-room schoolhouse education and family background. His father, an Irish immigrant farmer, and his mother cared for many siblings, setting the stage for a humble upbringing. Ford's early experiences included horse riding accidents that led him to develop a desire to eliminate horses from transportation in favor of engines, ultimately leading him to experimentation with machinery. After working for Thomas Edison and building his first vehicle, the Quadricycle, Ford caught the attention of influential investors, which marked the beginning of his journey into the automobile industry despite early failures in entrepreneurship.