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How Pirates Thwarted America’s Plan to Go Metric (psnaudus.medium.com)

submitted 1 year ago by CaspianXI to c/mildlyinteresting

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In the late 1700s, Thomas Jefferson wanted the United States to adopt a unified system of measurement and saw the metric system as the best solution. However, a pirate attack in the Caribbean disrupted these plans. Joseph Dombey, a French scientist carrying a kilogram and meter stick to demonstrate the metric system, was captured by pirates. By the time France sent another scientist to explain the system to the Americans, Jefferson was no longer in office, and plans to go metric were disregarded.

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[–] gooddaytodayhere 22 points 1 year ago (9 children)

That is good content! Off to google I went to explore the rabbit hole

And here’s a good read! https://time.com/3633514/why-wont-america-go-metric/

[–] raltoid 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (8 children)

I always find it funny to read about how much it's the public who wants America to be a "leader" and not a "follower" and keep resisting the change. Meanwhile metric is in widespread use across the country. Most science and medicine is done in metric. NASA and the US Military are metric. Most soldiers knows how long a "klick" is, which is literally just slang for kilometer. Every car mechanic can show you exactly how much a centimeter is, since the 10mm wrench/socket size is burned into their memory.

And because of the global trade market, a lot of products that are also meant for export is manufactured in metric

Not to mention that when it comes to conversion it's so much easier that US students are in some cases taught to convert to metric, apply that formula and then convert back(like calculating work) since it's so much faster and easier.

[–] gooddaytodayhere 1 points 1 year ago

I completely agree. It’s hilarious!!!

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