Henry Ford was an American industrialist and the founder of the Ford Motor Company. He was born in 1863 and is best known for his innovations in the automotive industry, particularly the development of the first affordable automobile and the implementation of the assembly line, which revolutionized the manufacturing process and made cars accessible to the masses. Ford's Model T was one of the most successful and influential cars in history, and his company became one of the largest and most successful in the world. Ford was also a controversial figure, known for his opposition to unions and his support for anti-Semitic views. He died in 1947.