Tesla 1a1

The Events of Early Current

  • Tesla's Birth

    Tesla's Birth
    "Tesla was born "at the stroke of midnight" with lightning striking during a summer storm. He was born to a Serbian family in Smiljan near Gospić, Lika, The midwife commented, "He'll be a child of the storm," to which his mother replied, "No, of light.""
  • Period: to

    Tesla's Life

  • "Tesla Demonstrates A.C. Motor"

     "Tesla Demonstrates A.C. Motor"
    "Tesla demonstrates" his "newly completed A.C. induction motor before Mr. Bauzin, former mayor of Strasbourg, and several potential investors. They watched the motor with interest, but it was apparent they did not understand the value of the invention."
  • " Tesla Meets Edison"

    " Tesla Meets Edison"
    "Edison essentially hired Tesla on the spot but would hear nothing of his A.C. power system. Tesla was soon dispatched to...the Oregon, the first boat ever to have electric lighting. The set of dynamos that powered the ship were badly damaged and Edison was amazed to learn that Tesla had repaired them.¨
  • "Tesla Sells A.C. Patents"

    "Tesla Sells A.C. Patents"
    "Tesla sells patents for A.C. Polyphase System to George Westinghouse for $25,000 in cash, $50,000 in notes and a royalty of $2.50 per horsepower for each motor."
  • "Tesla's Lecture Before AIEE"

    "Tesla's Lecture Before AIEE"
    "'Experiments with Alternate Currents of Very High Frequency and Their Application to Methods of Artificial Illumination' lecture is given before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (now the IEEE) at Columbia University in New York."
  • "Tesla Lectures In London"

    "Tesla Lectures In London"
    "Experiments with Alternate Currents of High Potential and High Frequency" lecture is given before the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the following day before The Royal Institution of Great Brittain, both in London, England.
  • "Tesla Lectures In Paris"

    "Tesla Lectures In Paris"
    "Experiments with Alternate Currents of High Potential and High Frequency" lecture is given before the Societe Francaise de Physique in Paris, France. A second lecture was planned for Paris but was cancelled when Tesla received a telegram from his Uncle Petar notifying him of his mother's failing health.
  • Tesla Lectures in Philadelphia

    Tesla Lectures in Philadelphia
    "On Light and Other High Frequency Phenomena" lecture is given before the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia.
  • Columbian Exposition

    Columbian Exposition
    The Westinghouse company, with Tesla's guidance, built a power system for the exposition that produced three times more energy than was being utilized by the entire remainder of Chicago. Tesla had a large display including phosphorescent lighting (a precursor to fluorescent lamps) powered without wires by high-frequency fields and the Egg of Columbus. The success of the Tesla Polyphase System installed at the exposition ensured Westinghouse would be selected to harness Niagara.
  • Tesla Tours Niagara Powerhouse

    Tesla Tours Niagara Powerhouse
    Tesla, along with George Westinghouse, Edward Dean Adams", a major investor of the Niagara project, "and others tour Niagara Falls and the new Adams Power Station.
  • "Tesla Demos Automaton Boat"

     "Tesla Demos Automaton Boat"
    "Tesla publically demonstrates his "automaton" technology by wirelessly controlling a model boat at the Electrical Exposition held at Madison Square Garden in New York City during the height of the Spanish-American War." This early demonstration of RC technology paved the way for even more and better possibilities for AC electricity and improved controller properties.
  • "Tesla Turbine Made Public"

    "Tesla Turbine Made Public"
    "Tesla announced his bladeless turbine to the world. The invention was based on adhesion and viscosity, two fundamental properties of all fluids."
  • Westinghouse Dies

    Westinghouse Dies
    One of Tesla's most influential and helpful friends, "George Westinghouse died in New York City, at age 67...He was buried in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery, along with his wife Marguerite, who survived him by three months." Him and Tesla together made a legacy known as "The Perfect Partnership".
  • Tesla Receives Edison Medal

    Tesla Receives Edison Medal
    "Originally rejecting the offer of the AIEE's highest award," due to it being a reward of his arch rival, "Tesla reconsiders and accepts after being encouraged by Bernard A. Behrend. During the introduction, Tesla disappears and is later found at the library feeding his beloved pigeons. He is persuaded to return and gives his acceptance speech."
  • Doctorate, University of Belgrade

    Doctorate, University of Belgrade
    "Tesla received a diploma of honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Belgrade." He earned this through his work on his discovery, despite not even being in the country most of the time to get it.
  • Doctorate, University of Zagreb

    Doctorate, University of Zagreb
    "Tesla received a diploma of honorary doctorate from the University of Zagreb." The school trusted Tesla with their reputation in hopes he will succeed.
  • Tesla's 75th birthday

    Tesla's 75th birthday
    "Tesla, on his 75th birthday" received not only many letters of congradulations from prominant and pioneer scientists, but ""Time" magazine honored the great inventor by placing his portrait on the cover."
  • Edison Dies At 84

    Edison Dies At 84
    "Tesla's most prominent adversary, Thomas Alva Edison," creator of the DC current and the GE, "dies in in his home, "Glenmont" in Llewellyn Park in West Orange, New Jersey, at the age of 84."
  • Awarded John Scott Medal

    Awarded John Scott Medal
    "The City of Philadelphia awarded Nikola Tesla with the John Scott Medal for the invention of the rotating magnetic field and induction motor."
  • "Tesla Dies at 86"

    "Tesla Dies at 86"
    "Tesla died quietly and alone in room #3327 on the 33rd floor of the Hotel New Yorker in New York City. The coroner would later estimate the time of death at 22:30 EST. Tesla was 86 years old." His funeral was held at the Cathedral of St. Jon the Divine in New York City.
  • Nikola Tesla Museum Opened

    Nikola Tesla Museum Opened
    The museum preserves around 160,000 original documents and around 5,700 other items. The person most responsible for establishing the museum was Tesla's nephew, Sava Kosanović, who was also a diplomat and lobbied to obtain Tesla's estate after his death."