The Impact of the Automobile on the United StatesThe automobile had a profound impact on the United States. He brought us highways, paved bridges, motels, vacations, suburbs, and the economic growth that accompanied them. Today, the automobile industry and nearly one million related industries employ approximately twenty percent of all American workers. The United States produces more automobiles than all other countries combined. This product has become a symbol of the American way of life. The United States is sometimes referred to as a “nation on wheels.” Given these facts, one must wonder what the United States was like before the revolutionary innovation of the automobile. The first automobile was invented by a French artillery officer, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot. Its self-propelled vehicle was powered by steam. Other models of steam-powered automobiles were created by different innovators, but these models were eventually made obsolete by the internal combustion automobile invented by Jean Joseph-Etienne Lenior. This technology reached the United States when Charles and FrankDuryea successfully manufactured the first American gasoline-powered automobile. Ransom Eli Olds owned the first automobile assembly line and began mass production. Later, Henry Ford's Model T dominated the automobile industry and remained the most popular automobile for almost twenty years. In the early days of the automobile, there was no real automobile industry. Only a few hundred cars were made in the early years of automobile manufacturing. They were very rarely seen and only the wealthy could obtain them. The car was such an unknown sight that it was sometimes featured in circuses. Eventually, the car began to gain popularity. During the 1920s, the American economy was on the rise and one of the main reasons was the automobile. Assembly lines became more efficient, allowing cars to be manufactured more cheaply and allowing car prices to fall. From 1909 to 1925, the price of a Model T Ford increased from $950 to $290. This allowed more people to be able to afford them. Millions have been sold. The automobile, once a rare luxury, was beginning to become a part of American life. This had a ripple effect on American industries. With the increase in the number of automobiles has come an increase in related products. Large quantities of glass, rubber, and steel were needed to make paper, which was involved in keeping Americans safe. Many government actions, such as requiring seat belts and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have made motoring safer for the general public. The automobile had many different effects on the United States, both good and bad. In the future, this will continue to shape our culture, our commerce and our environment. Works Cited1Thomas DiBacco, Lorna Mason, Christian Appy, History of the United States, vol. 2 (Evanston: McDougal Littell Inc.), p. 324.2John Rae, The American Automobile Industry, (Boston: GK Hall & Company), p.89-92.3John Rae, The American Automobile Industry, (Boston: GK Hall & Company), p.96.4John Rae, The American automobile industry, (Boston: GK Hall & Company), p.188.5John Rae, The American Automobile Industry, (Boston: GK Hall & Company), p.89-90.6American Lung Association of California, , April 13, 2001.7National Center of injury prevention and control, April 14 2001.