The Dark Side of Thomas Edison
Morgan, Hywel. “Dark Matters - Edison.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 Feb. 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
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Despite his genius, Thomas Edison made many poor choices during his lifetime. Most of these decisions were made during his feud with Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, known as the "War of the Currents. Tesla, a former employee of Edison's, invented Alternating Current, a form of electricity that rivaled Edison's Direct Current. In an attempt to discredit Tesla's form of electricity, Edison used Tesla's Alternating Current to electrocute animals. He even used AC to kill a man using one of his new inventions, the electric chair. Unfortunately, for the victim of the first electric chair, the death was not swift. One eye witness described the scene by stating that they essentially roasted the man alive. Another witness vomited from the smell of burning flesh.
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Website and Video Links
Lantero, Allison. "The War of the Currents: AC vs. DC Power." Engergy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy. 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Starting in the late 1880's, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were embroiled in a battle known as the "War of the Currents." Find out more about this feud by visiting energy.gov.
Nikolateslaitalia.com. “Electrocuting an Elephant.” Online video clip. YouTube. com. YouTube, 19 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
During the late 1880's Thomas Edison began electrocuting animals with Tesla and Westinghouse's alternating current (AC) electricity. This was a deliberate attempt by Edison to persuade the American public that his direct current electricity was much safer than AC. Warning: the video above contains graphic images of animal cruelty.
"Tesla: Master of Lighting." PBS.gov. Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Enter a world of interactive laboratories complete with sound and animation at pbs.org to explore the life and accomplishments of Edison's #1 rival, Nikola Tesla.
Nix, Elizabeth. "What was the War of the Currents?" History.com. U.S. A+E Networks. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
In the late 19th century, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla battled each other over which electricity system - direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) - would become the standard. Find out who won at history.com.
“Thomas Edison and the AC/DC Battle.” Online video clip. Time.com. Time Inc. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Believing direct current to be superior to alternating current, Thomas Edison went to great lengths — even electrocuting elephants — to prove his point. Find out more about the "War of the Currents," by watching the video in the link above at time.com.