What would this country be without the car, or any type of motor vehicle? The automobile transformed the country and the world. The first automobile was produced in 1769: it was a steam engine that could travel eight miles per hour (Dreyer). But it all intensified when Henery Ford discovered the trick of pushing cars at a fast pace for the common man. It has created many opportunities; it created new sports and made it easier to get from point A to point B. As a result of the automobile, culture flourished, jobs became easier to find, and the environment was affected both positively and negatively. We see cars in our daily lives, as means of transportation and sometimes even as toys and model cars. So what else are they for? Advertising is an important thing that cars do; for example, NASCAR FANS can see most commercials by simply turning on the TV and watching what they like to see. They have several sponsors that they represent as advertisements (automotive history). Without your name being on a business card, it can be broadcast on a car for thousands of people to see as you drive by. It also made the market for different items much more competitive. For example, going back to NASCAR, Jimmy Johnson represents Lowes and Joey Lagano represents Home Depot. Therefore, if a customer were to prefer Lowes to The Home Depot, they might like driver Jimmy Johnson more. The automobile shaped the cities we live in today, along the streets surrounding the suburbs, and only some had to take the train or ride a bicycle, while others could only hope for their own car and go wherever they wanted. When the car first appeared to the middle-class public, it was a big deal because it wasn't just an upper-class... middle-of-the-pack... and low-impact car. So ask yourselves what our country, or on an even larger scale, the world, would have done if we didn't have our own soccer mom cars, trucks, and minivans. The automobile had a huge impact on the United States and many other countries, helped us get through many wars, and made mail delivery much faster. Even though there is pollution, the automotive industry is making improvements to make cars and trucks cleaner. Works Cited Martin V. Melosi. “The Automobile in American Life and Society.” ND Web. February 18, 2014. Racheal Dreyer. “Automotive history”. Automotive history. NPND Web. February 14, 2014. "The Automobile in American Life and Society." The automobile in American life and society. NPND February 17, 2014. “History of the Automobile.” History of the automobile. 05 July 2007. Web. 15 February, 2014.