Overview

In the latter part of the nineteenth century, Gottlieb Daimler (1834-1900) and Karl Benz (1844-1929) developed a gasoline-powered automobile, a significant improvement over the existing steam-powered devices. Henry Ford (1863-1947), in 1913, introduced the assembly line, lowering automobile production costs sufficiently that most families could afford their own car. This also heralded the start of mass production, which had significant impacts in virtually all areas of manufacturing throughout the world. The internal combustion engine eventually revolutionized transportation, industry, and farming, and has had significant impact on many environmental issues.

Background

Transportation had changed very little between the time of the Romans and the early 1800s. People walked, rode horses, or rode in slow vehicles pulled by horses. At sea, people relied upon wind and muscle power. The first invention that began to make travel more efficient was the steam engine.

The first...