Nikola Tesla > Thomas Edison

initial investors Tesla was relieved of his duties. He was forced to work as a manual laborer in order to survive from 1886-1887. During this time Tesla created his first brushless alternating current induction motor which he showed off at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers in 1888. Later that year he created the initial principles for his tesla coil which sparked the interest of George Westinghouse (Dinsdale). Finally Tesla  had a money man behind him and his alternating current system.  This system went in direct competition with Edison backed by J.P Morgan and their Direct current system. From this the “War of the Currents” ensued and the fate of the country's electrical system rested on their shoulders. Westinghouse outbid J.P. Morgan to light the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago of 1893 ( Also known as the Chicago's world Fair) and Tesla was able to show of his AC system (Dinsdale). J.P Morgan was so impressed that he decided to leave Edison and back Tesla on his design of the first hydroelectric power plant to harness Niagara Falls in 1895. One year later they powered the city of Buffalo New York. With these victories AC grew in popularity and became the standard electrical system in the U.S. and has remained such even to this day (Schwartz).

    Sadly, Tesla  would come to an abrupt end on the morning of January 8, 1942. At the age of 86 Tesla died of heart failure alone in his New York hotel room (Disdale). Tesla dedicated his life to inventing and discovery never bothering to marry or have children. His legacy lived through his over 700 patents  that he held at the time of his death (Schwartz). Beyond that however Tesla died significantly in debt all his money being dedicated to his research and outcasted by his colleagues who continued to reject his ideas around free energy (bio.com).