Henry Ford was an American automobile manufacturer who created the Model T in 1908 and went on to develop the assembly line mode of production, which revolutionized the automotive industry. As a. He formed the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and was the creative force behind an industry of unprecedented size and wealth that would forever change the economic and social character of the United States. Explore Henry Ford’s life, from early years and Quadricycle to founding Ford Motor Company and shaping automotive history. He founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 after prior failures in business, but was successful in constructing automobiles. The introduction of the Ford Model T vehicle in 1908 is credited with having revolutionized both transportation and American industry. Ford drew controversy for his pacifist stance during the early years of World War I and earned widespread criticism for his anti-Semitic views and writings. Born in 1863, Henry Ford was the. Henry Ford's legacy is monumental; he revolutionized the automotive industry by introducing assembly line production, making cars more affordable for the masses. Henry Ford is born on a farm to William and Mary Ford in Springwells Township, Michigan in 1863. Explore a timeline of his life. Learn about the history of Ford Motor Company and the impact that Henry Ford had on the automobile, working life, and the role of transportation. He formed the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and was the creative force behind an industry of unprecedented size and wealth that would forever change the economic and social character of the United States. In December 1918, Henry Ford turned the presidency of Ford Motor Company over to his son Edsel Ford. Henry, however, retained final decision authority and sometimes reversed his son.