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This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
US custom system <TAG1> is a measure system used in the United States of America. It comes from the English imperial system (Imperial units), but does not completely coincide with it. Its roots go back to the colonial era: in the 17th–XVIII centuries, British settlers brought their weights and measures to North America. After the declaration of independence of the USA in 1776, the country preserved the traditional units, but gradually adapted them to its own standards.
In the 19th century, Europe massively switched to the metric system , but the US decided to stay with the usual units, as the population and business did not want to change everyday habits.
System structure
Unlike metric, the US customary system is not built on the decimal principle. Most units are related via «non-standard» ratios, making the system less computationally convenient but historically understandable for its media.
Main examples:
-
Length:
- 1 foot = 12 inches,
- 1 yard = 3 feet,
- 1 mile = 1,760 yards (or 5,280 feet).
-
Mass and weight:
- 1 lb = 16 oz (≈ 453.6 g),
- 1 ton (US ton) = 2000 lbs.
-
Volume:
- 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 128 liquid ounces (≈ 3.785 L),
- 1 pint = 16 liquid ounces (≈ 473 ml).
- Temperature: used fahrenheit scalewhere 32 °F corresponds to the freezing temperature of water and 212 °F — to boiling.
Most units in the US custom system come from medieval Europe, where «per eye» — was measured by body length, item size, or usual containers.
- Foot (foot) <TAG1> was originally equal to the average length of a human foot. In different countries, «foot» could differ (from 25 to 34 cm). Only in the 19th century. it was standardized at 30.48 cm.
- Inch (inch) <TAG1> word comes from Latin uncia («one twelfth»). At first, an inch was equal to the width of a man's thumb. It was later defined as the length of three barley grains laid side by side. Today, the inch has a clear definition of — 2.54 cm.
- Yard (yard) <TAG1> according to legend, it was introduced by the English king Henry I in the 11th century, defining the yard as the distance from his nose to the tip of his outstretched arm. The yard is now 91.44 cm.
- Mile (mile) <TAG1> comes from Latin. mille passus <TAG1> — thousand steps«. In ancient Rome, it was approximately 1.48 km long. The English mile that reached the US was subsequently set as 5,280 feet (≈ 1.609 km).
- Pound (pound) <TAG1> comes from Latin libra pondus («weight pound»). In ancient Rome, the pound was about 327 g, but over time it differed in different countries. Modern American pound = 453.6 g.
- Ounce (ounce) <TAG1> is also from Latin (uncia <TAG1> — one twelfth«). The ounce was originally 1/12th of a Roman pound, now the American ounce is ≈ 28.35g.
- Gallon (gallon) <TAG1> originated in medieval England as a measure for wine and beer. In different regions, the gallon had a different volume, depending on what was measured. In the US, the gallon was standardized as 3.785 L, and in the UK it is larger than — 4.546 L.
- Pint (pint) <TAG1> from English means — small part«. Its volume also once varied from region to region. In the USA pint = 473 ml, in Britain — 568 ml.
Thus, this system preserves ancient, «household» units related to the human body or practical standards of life. That is why it is considered less «logical» than metric, but at the same time closer to everyday perception.
Differences from the British imperial system
Although the US custom system comes from the British measure, there is a difference between the two. For example, gallon in the USA smaller than in the United Kingdom:
- 1 U.S. gallon = 3.785 L,
- 1 Imperial gallon = 4.546 L.
Because of this, even English-speaking countries sometimes have difficulties in understanding when measuring.
Where it is used today
USA — is the only major country in the world that has not officially switched to the metric system. However, even in the States themselves, the situation is heterogeneous:
- metric units are actively used in science, medicine and the military sphere;
- in business, commerce and daily life — US custom system;
- in manufacturing and engineering, «double standards» are often used.
Canada, Great Britain and some other countries are officially metric, but for some areas (for example, beer in pints or height in feet) they also retained imperial measures.
US custom system — is not only a set of units, but also a cultural symbol for Americans. It is part of the national identity and «of the American way of life». At the same time, its parallel existence with the metric system creates difficulties in international trade and science.
Despite this, the US remains one of the few «islands» where the usual foot, pound and gallon will coexist with meters and liters for a long time.
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