Automobiles are a type of transportation that has four wheels and uses an engine or motor to make them move. Most automobiles burn fuel to make the internal combustion engine (sometimes called a “motor”) run, and then send that energy to the wheels through a transmission. How fast the car goes depends on how much energy the engine sends to the wheels, which is measured in kilowatts or horsepower.
The modern automobile, which is a symbol of both the promise and pitfalls of the modern world, was developed in Europe toward the end of the nineteenth century by men like Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz and Nicolaus Otto. The earliest automobiles ran on steam, electric power or gasoline.
The first mass-produced cars, like Ford’s Model T runabout shown here, revolutionized American life in the early twentieth century by giving more people access to faster and safer travel than ever before. As a result, cities expanded and suburban communities developed. Industries sprang up to supply the demand for automotive parts and fuel, such as rubber, petroleum and gas. Services like gas stations, motels and restaurants also grew.
The automobile allowed individuals to live and work anywhere, and it promoted outdoor recreation. It ended rural isolation and brought urban amenities, such as better schools and medical care, to the countryside. It spurred the development of highways, which have become one of the largest items of government expenditure. The automobile also accelerated social change by encouraging women to drive and allowing them to carry out political activism, such as the 1916 trip that Nell Richardson and Alice Burke made from North Carolina to Washington to advocate for votes for women.