Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla:

Biography by Paulo Rodriguez

March 30, 2017

Introduction

“The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.”

-Nikola Tesla

This is Nikola Tesla. A hardworking immigrant who worked to make a difference in the world. He came to America with four cents and left it an ingenious inventor. Tesla didn’t know it then but he would make the difference he had dreamed of making and inspiring the world.

Nikola’s Early Years

Nikola Tesla was born on July 10,1865 in Smiljan Lika. Today, Lika is called Croatia. He had 4 siblings named Dane, Angelina, Milka, Marica. His parents were named Milutin and Djuka, his father was an orthodox priest and wanted Nikola to go in to priesthood his Mother Djuka inspired tesla to invent she would make small gadgets to help her with small chores. Nikola had a cat named Macak. Macak was Nikola’s companion and introduced him to static electricity. “I was rubbing Macaks back and sparks started flying everywhere and there was a lot of crackling”- That's what nikola tesla recalled. Nikola was home schooled either because he could not afford school or he was to smart. Tesla was a genius he could do calculus in his head.

Nikola’s Early Years Part 2

Nikola dreamed of a water wheel spinning at Niagara Falls. Tesla told his uncle someday he was going to capture energy with the wheel, 30 years later he did that. When Nikola was 17 he got a disease called cholera from drinking dirty water his father Milutin was telling him over and over again to join the priesthood but Nikola didn't want to, his father Milutin made an offer if he survived then he could go to renowned Austrian Polytechnic School at Graz to study engineering. Nikola did survive his cholera and went to college. Nikola moved to Budapest and worked for the Central Telephone Exchange. Nikola was walking with a friend he was remembering a poem he had read and then he got the idea like a spark he drew a diagram of an AC induction motor shown six years later in his address before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.

Coming to America

After drawing the diagram in Budapest, Nikola had been to Strasbourg and Paris improving their DC generation facilitas, and to Germany attempting to interest investors, but he failed. Nikola realized he needed to work with the greatest electrical engineer at the time, Thomas Edison. Little did he know, he would later become a better inventor than Thomas edison. Tesla went to New York to meet Edison. He arrived in shock of how ugly it was what he left was beautiful. Nikola immigrated to America with 4 cents in his pocket, a couple mathematical computations, a drawing of an idea for a flying machine, and a letter of introduction by Charles Batchler one of Edison's business associates in Europe.

Edison's Scam

Nikola went to Edison’s office and handed him his letter of recommendation his letter said

“My Dear Edison: I know two great men and you are one of them. The other is this young man!". Nikola told Edison his engineering work and his plan for the AC induction motor. Thomas edison did not really now how Alternating current worked and didn't care for it he only cared for DC or direct current. AC power sounded like a competition to Thomas edison. Thomas edison thought Nikola was different and hired him to improve his DC generation plants, Thomas Edison PROMISED Nikola $50,000

If he succeeded thinking that he could not Nikola could not do it. Nikola did succeed, but a dishonorable Edison, said "When you become a full-fledged American you will appreciate an American joke," Nikola’s disgust of this joke of a man led him to immediately resigned.

AC Induction Motor

Lots of people started saying there was a foreigner was digging ditches to stay alive. Investors started coming to Nikola asking him to develop an improve method for arc lighting. Even though this was not the opportunity he wanted the group to finance a Tesla electric lighting company. Unfortunately all the money was given to the investors all Nikola got was useless certificates. Nikola’s luck took a turn Mr A.K. brown of the Western Union company decided to invest in Nikola’s AC induction motor tesla started making the parts for his motor he invented it and did it exactly as he drew it on the sand. He was having struggles with getting his motor more publicity.

Conclusion

Nikola Tesla was an immigrant who made a difference in the world through his hard work. He created the radio, remote control, and the Tesla coil, and the wheel that produced energy at niagara falls. Tesla affected the world by being an awesome and ingenious inventor. Thank you Nikola Tesla.

Bibliography

Nikola Tesla - Engineer, Inventor - Biography.com