Chapter 02 of 5
The Westinghouse Challenge
George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla unite to champion AC.
- The Challenger
George Westinghouse Arrives
A prolific inventor of railway air brakes, Westinghouse sought a new frontier in electricity. He saw the inefficiency of Edison’s DC systems and sensed an opportunity.
- Pragmatic Vision
The Business of Power
Unlike Edison the solo inventor, Westinghouse was a master of industrial scale. He believed that for electricity to be profitable, it had to reach the masses cheaply.
- The Visionary
Nikola Tesla’s Arrival
A brilliant Serbian immigrant, Tesla arrived in America with little more than a recommendation letter. He initially worked for Edison, but their philosophies clashed instantly.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
What was the primary reason Westinghouse’s AC system was more cost-effective than Edison’s DC?
💡 Edison vs. Westinghouse: The Current War
- 01Edison’s Stubborn SparkThe Wizard of Menlo Park and his rigid vision for Direct Current.
- 02The Westinghouse ChallengeGeorge Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla unite to champion AC.
- 03Edison’s Darkest TacticsDesperation leads to a smear campaign and public electrocutions.
- 04The World’s Fair DuelA high-stakes bidding war for the 1893 Chicago Expo.
- 05The Bitter VictoryEdison loses his namesake company while Westinghouse wins the war.