BETA
Chapter 1
The pirate attack on metric standards
Chapter 2
The Industrial Revolution lock-in
Chapter 3
The great metric rebellion of the 1970s
Chapter 4
The hidden metric reality of modern America
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why the US measures in feet
Ch 2 · The Industrial Revolution lock-in
hank US Customary Units
Factories built it all, Inch by foot and yard, Too costly now to switch, It's just too hard!
hank American industry thrived on standardized parts like screws and bolts, making any transition to metric highly disruptive to trade.
hank Switching to the metric system would require factories to undergo a incredibly expensive process of replacing or altering their machinery.
Fun Fact
Secretly metric: Since 1893, the official definition of an American inch is mathematically based on the millimeter, meaning US units are just disguised metric units.
Glossary
path dependence (noun)
The phenomenon where past decisions limit the options available in the present. American factories built during the nineteenth-century boom relied on inch-based machinery, making metric adoption too expensive.
The phenomenon where past decisions limit the options available in the present. American factories built during the nineteenth-century boom relied on inch-based machinery, making metric adoption too expensive.
Quiz
Which US physicist signed the 1893 order that redefined American units in terms of the metric system?
Quiz
Who standardized US screw threads in 1864, solidifying the use of inches in manufacturing?
Quiz
Why did big businesses strongly oppose switching to the metric system in the 19th century?
Quiz
During which major historical era did US factories lock in their use of inches and feet?
Quiz
Which government department historically took the lead in establishing standard US weights and measures?