POV: You Invent the Future and Die Broke

Nikola Tesla invented the electrical system that powers the entire modern world. He died alone and in debt in a New York hotel room in 1943. This is how that happened. We break down the War of the Currents against Edison, the Westinghouse royalty contract that could have made Tesla one of the richest men alive, why he tore it up, and why J.P. Morgan pulled funding from the Wardenclyffe tower with one simple question: where do you put the meter? In this video: 0:00 The old man in the hotel room 1:15 The problem nobody could solve 3:00 Working for Edison 4:30 The Westinghouse deal and the royalty 6:00 The War of the Currents 8:00 Niagara Falls and total victory 9:30 The contract he tore up 11:00 Wardenclyffe and the metering problem 13:00 The final years 14:00 Four lessons: inventing vs owning If you enjoy inventor stories, business history and how money really works, subscribe for more. Note: This is an educational, animated history. Some scenes and quotes are illustrated reconstructions, and historians still debate the exact terms of the Westinghouse royalty agreement and several widely told anecdotes. #NikolaTesla #History #Invention