The auto is a uniquely commonplace item, taken for granted by some as an everyday tool of transportation but equally celebrated for its history, design, and possibilities. Each session of this course will highlight a different period or aspect of this fascinating subject.

Session 1: The American Automobile, 1896-1920 - A New Technology and Industry
This session will cover the German “invention” of the automobile, development of the manufacturing industry in France, early American pioneers of the automotive industry, the evolution of the auto in America from 1901 to 1912, the formation and early years of Ford Motor Company and General Motors, the adoption of mass production, the impact of World War I and the road into the Twenties.

Session 2: The American Automobile 1920-1946 - Boom, Bust, and War
Progressing into the first half of the Twentieth Century, this session will cover the birth of the heavy equipment industry and modern road building, the auto’s impact on railroads, the rise of custom coaches, industry and technological advancements of the 1930’s, the industry’s contribution to winning WWII, and postwar models and the beginnings of collecting and preserving classic models.

Session 3: Notable Manufacturers, Personalities, and Their Contributions
The final session will delve more deeply into some of the most influential figures in the history of the American auto, including Henry Ford, the Packard brothers, Horace Elgin Dodge, and Louis Chevrolet. It will also cover the rise of the “Big Three” and their impact on the industry.

There are no required textbooks for this course.