When was the metric system designed?

Designed during the French Revolution of the 1790's, the metric system brought order out of the conflicting and confusing traditional systems of weights and measures then being used in Europe. Prior to the introduction of the metric system, it was common for units of length, land area, and weight to vary, not just from one country to another but from one region to another within the same country. As the modern nations were gradually assembled from smaller kingdoms and principalities, confusion simply multiplied. It was adopted in France in 1795 and is now used officially in almost all countries.

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30 Comments

Carolyn Brior

I wish the USA would switch to metric. It is simpler. I can never remember how many teaspoons in a tablespoon or how many cups in a gallon or how many feet in a mile. And Celsius is easier than Fahrenheit. Maybe not as precise but easier to remember - water freezes at 0 and boils at 100. Can't be easier than that.

scottlarock

the metric system is so simple...but I still use inch, foot, yard, mile. ounce, and pound...

ninakamwene

I can use both, but America and Britain should go metric and join the world.

Suzanne Beer

Oh wow I was way out..

L Lh Adams

I have seen workers in Mexico,Guatemala and several other Central and South American Countries using English/Metric tape measures to convert Metric measurements from plans to inches and feet to work with. Conversion worked badly there after many years. Americans will not allow the Government to dictate measurements to them until Socialism takes over,hopefully after my death.

Karin Johansson

Susanna Viljanen, USA is not either.

Karin Johansson

Carolyn Brior, yes it is. Meter is very easy and Celsius is very easy too.

Karin Johansson

Wendy Petty, centimeters

Claire Mitchell

Carolyn Brior. You may be surprised! There are three tsps in one tbsp Canada adopted the metric system quite a few years ago.

Les Griffin

I do prefer old system. Canada went metric in early '80's Bering a carpenter its still all in empirical, feet & inches, thankfully

David Ching

There are three countries who don't use the metric system: Liberia, Myanmar and of course, the United States of America. However, I find it easier to relate to feet and inches as it was used in my earlier years by tradesmen. (top of thumb, about an inch - handspan, 8 inches - bunched hand to opposite side of chest, 1 yard - foot, foot etc. I can't imagine 1mm although a yard/metre would be close)

Kathryn Cavanagh

Now I know who to blame for the confusion when Australia went from pound, acres, miles, etc [ which I knew quite well back then] to this system. confusion for all the elderly people and a few others also..!!