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Birth
Tesla was born with lightning striking during a summer storm. He was born to a Serbian family in Smiljan near Gospić, Lika, (the Military Frontier of Austria-Hungary, now in Croatia). The midwife commented,"He'll be a child of the storm," to which his mother replied, "No, of light." Tesla was baptized in the Old Slavonic Church rite. His Baptism Certificate reports that he was born on June 28 (Julian calendar; July 10 in the Gregorian calendar) 1856, and christened by the Serbian orthodox priest -
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Nikola Tesla
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Tesla's Older Brother Dies
Death of older and only brother Dane at age 12 after falling from a horse. Some accounts indicate Tesla caused the accident by spooking the horse. -
Tesla Begins Education
Tesla attended the Krajina "Lower" or "Primary" School in Smiljan, in which he learned German, arithmetic and religious knowledge. -
Tesla Family Moves To Gospić
Tesla's father receives appointment as pastor to a church in Gospić where the family moves and Tesla completes "Lower" or "Primary" School and then attends "Lower Real Gymnasium" or "Normal School" followed then by the "Real Gymnasium." -
Tesla Moves To Karlovac
Tesla moves to Karlovac (Carlstadt), Croatia and stays with his aunt and Col. "Old War-Horse" Branković. He attends "Higher Real Gymnasium" where teacher Martin Sekulić teaches him math and physics and has a decisive influence on him. Tesla graduates Gimnazije Karlovac a year early. -
Tesla Has A.C. Epiphany
Tesla,solving the riddle of A.C.,suffers a mental breakdown and isn't expected to live. A short time later, Tesla begins to recover and during a walk in the Varosliget city park of Budapest with friend Anthony Szigety,the solution comes to Tesla in a vision.In his recollection of the event,Tesla states that he looked at the setting sun and began to recite a passage from Goethe's Faust.At that very moment the idea came to him in a flash and he drew a diagram of the motor in the sand with a stick. -
Tesla Demonstrates A.C. Motor
Tesla demonstrates 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
Regardless of the discrepancy, we know that Edison essentially hired Tesla on the spot but would hear nothing of his A.C. power system. Tesla was soon dispatched to Henry Villard's ocean liner, 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.e was quoted as calling Tesla "a damn good man." -
Tesla Quits Edison
At some point during Tesla's employment, Edison promises to pay him $50,000 if he can improve the performance of Edison's D.C. dynamo. Tesla succeeds beyond Edison's expectations, but he reneges on his promise to pay Tesla. Edison is quoted as stating to Tesla, "You don't understand our American humor." Deeply hurt, Tesla resigns. -
Tesla's Winter of Suffering
Betrayed by man he trusted, Tesla considered the winter of 1886/1887 a time of "terrible headaches and bitter tears." He was forced to work as a ditch digger for $2.00 per day and questioned the value of his education. -
Murderer "Westinghoused"
As part of an Edison-sponsored smear campaign against Westinghouse,Edison's ally and manufacturer of electric chairs, began electrocuting animals with A.C.The process was termed "Westinghoused" and was used to demonstrate the dangers of the new technology.That same year,the state of New York convicted murdurer William Kemmler to die in the electric chair.Edison provided his staff to assist in an effort to further damage Westinghouse's public image.
