Henry Ford

New Capabilities

Deceased (1947)

In 1900, 41 percent of Americans worked on farms. Today, fewer than 2 percent do—yet agricultural output has more than tripled. The tractor, combine harvester, and chemical fertilizer didn't just change farming; they triggered the largest peacetime migration in American history, sending tens of millions from fields to factories and reshaping the nation's economy, culture, and landscape.

Updated Jan 22