The Battle Between Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla And George Westinghouse

The War of the Currents was a battle between Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse. Thomas Edison was a famous inventor who invented motion pictures and practical electric light bulb, as well as a good businessman. Nikola Tesla was a famous inventor, electrical and mechanical engineer. George Westinghouse was a famous entrepreneur and engineer who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry
They were trying to decide which electricity system, either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC)–would become normal. During the War of the Currents, Edison was trying to promote the direct-current system (DC), where electrical current would flow progressively in one direction. Tesla and Westinghouse on the other hand promoted the alternating-current system, in which the flow of the currents would constantly alternate (AC).
Nikola
Tesla helped Thomas Edison’s improve the direct current (DC) generators at the same time trying to convince his boss that he should start using the alternating current (AC). Nikola Tesla had been developing the alternating current (AC) motor, but a man who was a firm supporter of the direct current (DC) publicly claimed that the alternating current (AC) system had no future. Nikola Tesla was mad that the Wizard of Menlo Park felt this way of his invention and he quit his job. A few years had passed and Nikola Tesla had sold his patents to George Westinghouse. Westinghouse Electric Company became one of Thomas Edison competitors.
Thomas Edison was starting to feel threatened by the rise of the alternating currents (AC) because it could be distributed over long distances and was more economically beneficial than the direct current (DC).
Thomas Edison pitched a propaganda campaign to discredit alternating current (AC) and emphasize on how good the direct current (DC) was and started to convince the general public using the alternating current (AC) was dangerous. As part of this campaign, Thomas Edison would use animals and publicly electrocuted with alternating currents (AC). When New York State sought a more humane way then hanging its prisoners who are receiving the death-penalty prisoners, Thomas Edison, once an opposed capital punishment, ironically recommended the alternating current (AC) as the fastest powered electrocution, deadliest option. In the late 1800s a convicted murderer by the name of William Kemmler became the first person to die using the electric chair. The machine (electric chair) was designed by someone who Thomas Edison was paying and was powered by a Westinghouse alternating current (AC)
generator.
Thomas Edison failed to discredit the alternating current (AC). Westinghouse won the contract to supply electricity to Chicago and ultimately beating their rivals General Electric, which was formed by a merger involving Thomas Edison’s company. The achievement was regarded as the unofficial end to the War of the Currents, and alternating current (AC) became dominant in the electric power industry and was recognized as the new standard. Having the flow of currents go in different directions was apparent to be the most efficient way because the currents flowed in different directions and was able to cover more ground, faster more efficient and effective.