Henry Ford

Founder of Ford Motor Company · Pioneer of the moving assembly line

Best known for founding Ford Motor Company and popularizing the assembly line — and for a line popularly attributed to him, 'Whether you think you can, or you think you can't — you're right.'

Our own AI-illustrated tribute — an artist's interpretation of Henry Ford's public ideas, made for children. How we make Little Keys ↗

July 30, 1863 · Springwells Township, Michigan April 7, 1947 · Dearborn, Michigan

Read the story they inspired → 🎧 Listen

Who was Henry Ford?

Henry Ford (1863–1947) founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and introduced the moving assembly line in 1913, making car ownership possible for millions of people for the first time. He is widely quoted for the line "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right." That line about belief inspired a Little Keys story.

📊 The 20-second version

1903

the year he founded the Ford Motor Company

1913

the year he introduced the moving assembly line, transforming how cars were built

15M+

roughly how many Model T cars were built before production ended in 1927

📝 The story behind the little key

Founding Ford Motor Company

Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 after two earlier business attempts failed, eventually finding success with a simple, durable car built for ordinary families rather than the wealthy.

The moving assembly line

In 1913, Ford introduced the moving assembly line to automobile manufacturing, dramatically cutting production time and cost, and making car ownership possible for millions of people for the first time.

A famous belief about belief

Ford is widely quoted for the line "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't — you're right," reflecting his own persistence through repeated early business failures before his eventual success.

🔑 How this connects to their story

Tomo the T-Rex discovers that asking 'What if I try?' instead of saying 'I can't' is what carries him up Roaring Rock and finally grows his roar. Ford's most famous line is built on that same idea — belief is where trying begins.

🦖 The T-Rex and the Roar of Belief →

🕰️ Their life, in brief

1863

Born in Springwells Township, Michigan.

1896

Builds his first experimental automobile, the Quadricycle.

1903

Founds the Ford Motor Company.

1913

Introduces the moving assembly line.

1947

Dies in Dearborn, Michigan.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded the Ford Motor Company?

Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903, after two earlier business attempts had failed.

When and where was Henry Ford born?

He was born on July 30, 1863, in Springwells Township, Michigan, and died on April 7, 1947, in Dearborn, Michigan.

What is Henry Ford known for?

For founding the Ford Motor Company and for introducing the moving assembly line in 1913, which dramatically cut the time and cost of building cars. Roughly 15 million Model T cars were built before production ended in 1927.

Which Little Keys story did he inspire?

"The T-Rex and the Roar of Belief": Tomo, a small T-Rex who always says "I can't do it", asks "What if I try?" instead, climbs Roaring Rock and grows his roar to call for help for his friends. The lesson: if you think you can, you're already on your way.

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📚 Books by Henry Ford