The History of the Automobile (the effect the invention of the car had on civilization)
By TTT-steam
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Dec 31, 1448
Leonardo Di Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci makes the first ever self-propelled vehicle that can move without being pushed. -
Early car
Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot invented a steam power car that was used for the French Army to carry amunition. The car had a top speed of 2.5 mph. This was 7 years before the American Revolution. -
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Problems
Early vehicles were terrifyingly loud for horses and their owners. But this was just one of the many early phases of cars. Politicians, police, and judges debated how to control them: What was the law of the road, and who was guilty or innocent in cases of lawsuit and litigation? -
What started the idea?
In the late 1700's, European engineers began tinkering with motor powered vehicles. Steam, combustion, and electrical motors had all been attempted by the mid 1800's. -
The First Car was Invented
Karl Benz finished the fist automobile and was ready to test drive! -
The Men Who Made Cars a Reality
The automobile was initially perfected in Germany and France by Nicolaus Otto, Gottlieb Daimler, Carl Benz, and Emile Levassor. -
Mercedes - The First Real Car
In 1901, Mercedes get the credit for being the first modern motorcar. It achieved a speed of fifty-three miles per hour. -
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Numbers of cars growing like crazy
Recorded in 1909 there were over 200,000 motorized vehicles in the United States Of America. Later in 1916 there were 2.25 million."The Law of the Automobile," a book first published in 1906 by lawyer Xenophone P. Huddy, discussed the legal ramifications of new concepts such as "speeding," the purpose and function of the street. -
The Model T
The Model T was introduced on October 1st, 1908 by Henry Ford. The car was revolutionary because it was affordable, durable car. -
Daimier (Mercedes) Factory
By 1909, Daimier had the most integrated automobile factory in Europe. They employed some seventeen hundred workers and produced fewer than a thousand cars per year. -
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Debates and Riots
Serious debates were being held in courtrooms such as was the automobile was inherently evil? The state of Georgia's Court of Appeals wrote: "Automobiles are to be classed with ferocious animals and … the law relating to the duty of owners of such animals is to be applied ... . However, they are not to be classed with bad dogs, vicious bulls, evil disposed mules, and the like." -
USA Builds Roads
Largely due to the Model T’s popularity, the U.S. government made construction of new roads one of its top priorities by 1920s with the federal government became involved with the FEDERAL HIGHWAY ACT OF 1921. GAS STATIONS began to pop up, and mechanics began to earn a living fixing the cars. Travelers on the road needed shelter on long trips, so MOTELS began to line the major long-distance routes. -
Model T Mass Production Changed America
The Model T, known as the “Tin Lizzie,” changed the way Americans live, work and travel. Henry Ford’s revolutionized the assembly line and made the Model T the first car to be affordable for a majority of Americans. Car ownership became a reality for average American workers, not just the wealthy. More than 15 million Model Ts were built in Detroit and Highland Park, Michigan. The car was your ticket to personal freedom and changed the way the country was settled. -
People's wagon: 1940s in Germany - The Beetle
Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) gave Henry Ford a medal for making cars affordable. Hitler asked German auto-maker Dr Ferdinard Porsche to develop a simple people's car or "Volks Wagen". Renamed the Beetle, it sold over 20 million worldwide and was one of the most popular cars of the 20th century. -
Status symbols: 1950s–1960s: Luxury and Gas Hogs
People wanted comfort and style. In the 1930s, cars became sleek, glamorous, and "streamlined." There were fancy features, such as, automatic gears and window defrosters. The end of World War II brought cars inspired by planes. The "gas guzzlers" were given tail fins like jet fighters—and burned almost as much fuel! Also, America reorganized its highway system into the Interstate Highway System -
1960s - Muscle Cars
Nothing says classic American more than the 1960 muscle cars: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454. 1969 Dodge Charger R/T-SE. 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda. 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500-KR. 1970 Plymouth Road Runner. 1964 Pontiac GTO. 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302. -
1970s Oil Crisis
By the early 1970s, American was leading increasing dependent on oil imported from abroad. Despite this, In 1973, an oil embargo by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) led to fuel shortages and sky-high prices throughout much of the decade. -
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American cars become unreliable
The Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord became very popular in the 1980s and 1990s because of their impressive reliability records. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, many American cars were not reliable or energy efficient as the Japanse vehicles. Camry and Accord swooped in and got large portions of the car market. -
1989 Roger Moore made the Documentary called 'Roger and Me'
Roger & Me directed by Michael Moore. Moore portrays the economic disaster of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's closing several auto plants in his Moore's hometown of Flint, Michigan. -
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Electric Cars
The Electric car was now the new modern car. With its pros such as Quiet and Quick. It only takes one ride in a battery-powered car to understand the improved ride quality of an EV compared to a vehicle using a petroleum-powered internal combustion engine, Home Recharging, Cheaper to Operate, No Tailpipe Emissions, its has its cons such as, limited Range, Long Refueling Time, Higher Cost, Lack of Consumer Choice. The electric car is slowly beginning to become unpopular, -
Google Unveils First Self Driving Car
Google has unveiled the first fully working road-legal prototype of its self-driving car -
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End quote
It's a never ending battle of making your cars better and also trying to be better yourself. -Dale Earnhardt
