US Customary System

A brief overview of the history of the US customary system.

1. The US Customary System History and Application Thomas A. Pray

2. Outline Who created the system? When was it conceived? How does it apply to real life? Reflection and Review References

3. Who created the system? The US customary system wasn’t created by any one person in particular. In fact, various politicians and government departments helped in conceptualizing the system of weights and measurements that we use today. The prominent among these was Thomas Corwin Mendenhall. As the Superintendent of Weights and Measurements, Mendenhall set forth the “Mendenhall Order” on April 5, 1893. This order established the international meter and kilogram as the fundamental standards of length and mass. This was later amended by an addendum entitled “Tables for Converting Customary and Metric Weights and Measures”. The Mendenhall Order established a finite base by which we could convert metric units to c ustomary units. (Judson, 1963)

4. Who Created the System? Another prominent figure in the history of the US customary system was A. V. Astin , Director of the National Bureau of Standards. On June 25, 1959, Astin received approval for the refinement of the US yard and pound under the authority of the then Under Secretary of Commerce, F. H. Mueller. (Judson, 1963)

5. When was it conceived? The US customary system was conceived through over a century of standardizing and refinement. The date of conception for the system we use today can be perceived as July 1, 1959, when the final refinements of the yard and pound were entered into the Federal Register. (Judson, 1963)

6. How does it apply to real life? Customary units are used in a number of domestic functions. In my personal life I use customary units nearly everyday when measuring ingredients for recipes when I cook, i.e. cups, pints, teaspoons etc. (Tillery,2005). Measurements for tailoring garments are written in customary units as well ( Poulin , 1952).

7. Reflection and Review Strengths Understanding the concept of the customary system Finding practical applications for the system in everyday life Weaknesses Finding key figures and dates Finding sources for research Oppurtunities I know understand the amount of effort and dedication it took to formulate the customary system we use today Threats History gives credit to the politicians that put forth the standards, but not the mathematicians that formulated them. The project was an unexpected departure from actual mathematic computation. The most important thing I learned from this project was the amount work and rework that went into created the system we use today. The customary system is involved in so many different industries in varying degrees, that is impossible not to use it at some point in your life.

8. References Judson, L. (1963). Weights and Measures Standards of the United States: A Brief History. Ch. 7, p 16; Appendix 5 p 30-31. Tillery , C. (2005). The African American Heritage Cookbook. Poulin , C. (1952). Tailoring Suits the Professional Way.