Michigan's Resources and Manufacturing
Examine the picture above. This picture is a primary source (an actual photograph taken of the place at that time, not somebody's drawing or creation) photograph of a place in Michigan.
In the box underneath the picture, write your thoughts about what is in this picture. Think like a historian (someone who studies history), and use the following questions to guide your thinking:
What happened here?
When did it happen?
Who was involved?
How and why is this place used?
What is the importance of this place?
How does it relate to events in Michigan's history?
In the box underneath the picture, write your thoughts about what is in this picture. Think like a historian (someone who studies history), and use the following questions to guide your thinking:
What happened here?
When did it happen?
Who was involved?
How and why is this place used?
What is the importance of this place?
How does it relate to events in Michigan's history?
Henry Ford Uses Resources
Let's brainstorm together a list of resources (or materials) that might have been used in the making of the Model T by looking at the pictures below. Where do you think the materials came from?
Where to Manufacture Cars?
Ford needed to be able to move resources to his factory. The Model T was made at the Highland Park Plant in Detroit, Michigan. Looking at the map below, why would Detroit be a good place for Henry Ford to locate his automobile factory? How would he get his resources to the factory?
As we read in our textbook, our state is part of an interdependent world - "a world in which countries depend on each other to meet their needs and wants." Today, resources to build cars come from places all across the world. If a resource was coming from Southeast Asia, how would it get to Detroit? Use the world map below to help you.
Ford's Highland Park plant was not on the water. He built a railroad track to the plant to bring in resources, but he wasn't happy with that. He wanted a larger factory right on the water, so he built the Ford Rouge Factory, as seen in the picture at the top of this page.