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Thomas Edison Research Paper

Satisfactory Essays

Padric Garden
SI 480 C1 – Levine
Visionary Paper
Thomas Edison is well known for his inventions, most notably the incandescent lightbulb. However, he also had a hand in a number of business ventures based on the sale of his inventions, and the idea of electricity as a utility. His companies were very successful for a time, and many remain to this day in some form or another, Edison’s decision to hold onto DC current ultimately lead to some of his business failures and the loss of control of his company.
Even as a child, Edison was entrepreneurial and scientifically curious, he would sell candy and newspapers for money and run experiments in the train. At the age of 19, Edison became a telegrapher, allowing for close access to this technology. …show more content…

After beginning work on electric lighting in 1878, Edison started the Edison Electric Light Company with the backing of J. P. Morgan and the Vanderbilt family. He then publicly demonstrated his light bulb for the first time in 1897. After this Edison developed the idea of electricity as a utility in competition with the gas-lighting industry. He patented a system for electricity distribution and founded the Edison Illuminating Company, later built a generating system in Manhattan that could provide 59 customers power. However, his focus on DC current led to a severely limited market, as DC power cannot travel far distances, so his idea of distribution only worked in dense cities. Competing companies, mainly Westinghouse, pushed AC current distribution, which began to take over the market leading to dwindling profits for Edison’s company. Ultimately, Edison was forced out of control from his company, J.P. Morgan went on to orchestrate a merger with Thomson-Houston leading to the creation of General Electric, leaving the Thomson-Houston board in charge of the

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