History Classroom: The Men Who Built America — Season 1, Episode 6: Owning It All
Documentary • 47 min • 1 season, 8 episodes
Episode synopsis
With an investment from Morgan, the Edison Electric Company is created and begins wiring homes in New York. A rival, Nikola Tesla, soon emerges with a different technology for electric light. A battle between Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) power ensues. Morgan eventually buys out Edison and forms General Electric which adopts AC power, setting the stage for the next several decades of electric power. Meanwhile, there is increasing unrest among American workers as the gap between the rich and the poor grows.
About History Classroom: The Men Who Built America
Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, Henry ford – their names are synonymous with innovation, big business and the American Dream. These leaders sparked incredible advances in technology while struggling to consolidate their industries and rise to the top of the business world. The Men Who Built AmericaTM chronicles the connections between these iconic businessmen and explores the way they shaped the country, transforming the U.S. into a global superpower in just 50 years.