Driving Force: Web Sources on the Auto Industry

americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove

Try to imagine a world without fast food restaurants, suburbs, and factories—all common elements of modern life made possible by the car. This excellent site, including a helpful time line, will help students understand the extraordinary impact of the automobile. Created by: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Washington, DC. Don’t miss: The fun game “Drive through Time.”

www.autolife.umd.umich.edu

This site explores the car’s influence on our culture, including the status of women, as they climbed behind the wheel and gained unprecedented freedom. Created by: The University of Michigan Dearborn and Benson Ford Research Center, Dearborn, MI. Don’t miss: “Design” highlights the importance of automotive style in our culture—a fascinating topic not covered elsewhere.

www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/car

Click and Clack, of the popular NPR radio show “Car Talk,” host this site that investigates how cars of the future will work and how they’ll be fueled. In “History’s Innovative Autos,” students will learn about technologies from the past that may power the cars of the future. Created by: PBS, Arlington, VA and WGBH, Boston, MA.

www.pbs.org/horatio/index.html

Dr. Horatio Jackson and Sewell Crocker left San Francisco in 1903 hoping to become the first to travel coast-to-coast in a “horseless carriage.” The chronicle of their daunting three-month trip gives a taste of what travel was like without the luxury of gas stations or paved roads. Created by: PBS and WETA, Arlington, VA. Don’t miss: “If Horatio Drove Today,” a great class activity.

www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/smartfun/welcome.html

Here you’ll follow the adventures of the fictional Brown family from Waterford, MI, who purchase their first car, a Model T Ford, and journey to Philadelphia, PA. The online diary reveals many aspects of early car ownership, including how difficult they were to start. Created by: The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI. Don’t miss: Find related teacher materials at www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/smartfun/class/modelt/main.html.

www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/showroom/intro.html

Kids can discover the most significant automobiles of the past in the historical “Showroom.” Each of the nine vehicles showcased has made a substantial contribution to the automobile industry as well as design, production, or engineering. My favorite? The 1949 Tucker—a beauty! Created by: The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI.