Plan for Establishing Uniformity in the Coinage, Weights, and Measures of the United States
The "Plan for Establishing Uniformity in the Coinage, Weights, and Measures of the United States" was a report submitted to the
At the
The decimal
Jefferson's proposal was the world's first scientifically based, fully integrated, decimal system of weights and measures.[2]
The seconds pendulum basis
In coordination with scientists in France, Jefferson selected the seconds pendulum at 45° latitude as the basic reference. For technical reasons, he proposed using a uniform rod as the pendulum rather than a traditional pendulum. The pendulum was estimated to be 39.14912 English inches long (which at that time was not yet defined to be exactly 25.4 mm, of course), or 1.5 times that for a vibrating rod (58.72368 inches).
base | pendulum | vibrating rod | foot |
---|---|---|---|
original | 39.14912 in | 58.72368 in | 304.801 mm |
ideal pendulum | 36 in = 3 ft = 1 yd | 54 in | 331.463 mm |
ideal rod | 40 in | 60 in = 5 ft | 298.317 mm |
practical rod | 39.16 in | 58.75 in | 304.664 mm |
modern | 39.13198 in | 58.69796 in | 304.8 mm |
More traditional proposal
In the evolutionary approach, the foot was to be derived from these lengths by a simple integer factor, which would be either three (pendulum) or five (rod), i.e. lengthening it from the traditional value of about 324 mm by slightly over 1 inch to ca. 331 mm or shortening it by about a quarter of an inch to ca. 298 mm. For practical purposes he wanted the rod to be 58+3⁄4 (new) inches long, an increase of less than 0.045%.
For the mass units, the ounce as a base would equal the weight of one thousandth of a cubic foot of rain water at standard temperature.
Length | ||
---|---|---|
line | 587+1⁄5 in standard rod | |
inch | = 10 lines | |
foot | = 12 inches | |
yard | = 3 feet | |
ell | = 3+3⁄4 feet | |
fathom | = 6 feet | |
perch, pole | = 5+1⁄2 yards | |
furlong | = 40 poles | |
mile | = 8 furlongs | |
league | = 3 miles | |
Area | ||
rood | = 40 square poles | |
acre | = 4 roods | |
Volume | ||
dry | liquid | |
gill | = 1⁄4 pint | |
pint | = 1⁄2 quart | |
quart | = 1⁄2 pottle | |
pottle | = 1⁄2 gallon | |
gallon | = 270 cubic inches | |
peck | = 2 gallons | |
bushel | firkin | = 4 pecks |
strike | kilderkin | = 2 bushels or firkins |
coomb | barrel | = 2 strikes or kilderkins |
quarter | hogshead | = 2 coombs or barrels |
tierce | = 4/3 hogshead | |
pipe, butt, puncheon | = 2 hogshead | |
ton | = 2 pipes = 3 tierces = 4 quarters | |
Mass | ||
grain | = 1/24 pennyweight | |
pennyweight | = 1/18 ounce | |
ounce | = 1/1000 mH2O(1 cubic foot) | |
pound | = 16 ounces |
Although the rundlet is mentioned as an existing measure for liquids equivalent to a kilderkin, it was omitted from the list of redefinitions.
Decimal system based on the foot
Jefferson's proposed decimal system preceded the adoption in France of the decimal metric system, although both developed simultaneously. In France, the metre was to be defined as the ten-millionth part of an arc between the North Pole and the equator. Jefferson's system was based on the length of a rod oscillating seconds at 45 degrees latitude, with the foot defined as one fifth of the length of such a rod. Similar to the French system, Jefferson proposed a system of units linked directly by powers of ten. However, Jefferson's system did not make use of the concept of prefixes, which were of great importance in the French system. Instead, the names of old units were carried over into the new system for decimal multiples of the base units, giving them new values.
Asserting the value of such thorough reform to the existing system of weights and measures, the report stated:
But if it be thought that, either now, or at any future time, the citizens of the United States may be induced to undertake a thorough reformation of their whole system of measures, weights and coins, reducing every branch to the same decimal ratio already established in their coins, and thus bringing the calculation of the principal affairs of life within the arithmetic of every man who can multiply and divide plain numbers, greater changes will be necessary.
The following table lists the units of the Jeffersonian decimal system, and their relationship with one another. The values of these units are based on Jefferson's proposal of a foot that was equal in length to one-fifth of a second rod, one fourth of an inch shorter than the foot in use at the time, and approximately equal to 0.298461684 m.[5] For the mass units, the ounce as a base would equal the weight of a cubic inch of pure water at standard temperature.
Value relative to base unit | SI equivalent | USCS equivalent | |
---|---|---|---|
Length | |||
Point | 0.001 | 0.29846 mm | 11.75 mil (0.846 p )
|
Line | 0.01 | 2.9846 mm | 0.1175 in (0.705 P̸) |
Inch | 0.1 | 2.9846 cm | 1.175 in |
Foot | 1 | 2.9846 dm | 11.75 in |
Decad | 10 | 2.9846 m | 9.792 ft |
Rood | 100 | 2.9846 dam | 97.92 ft (32.64 yd) |
Furlong | 1000 | 2.9846 hm | 979.2 ft (1.484 fur) |
Mile | 10000 | 2.9846 km | 1.85 mi |
Area | |||
Rood | 1 = 1 rood2 | 8.9078 a | 9588.424 ft2 |
Double Acre | 10 | 0.89078 ha | 2.2 acre |
Volume | |||
Metre | 0.001 = 1 in3 | 2.6587 cL | 1.798 Tbsp |
Demi-pint | 0.01 | 2.6587 dL | 8.99 fl oz |
Pottle | 0.1 | 2.6587 L | 2.809 qt |
Bushel | 1 = 1 ft3 | 2.6587 daL | 7.023 gal |
Quarter | 10 | 2.6587 hL | 70.23 gal (2.23 bbl) |
Last, Double Ton | 100 | 2.6587 m3 | 702.3 gal (93.89 ft3) |
Mass | |||
Mite | 0.0001 | 2.6587 mg | 0.041 gr |
Minim, Demi-Grain | 0.001 | 2.6587 cg | 0.41 gr |
Carat | 0.01 | 2.6587 dg | 4.103 gr |
Double Scruple | 0.1 | 2.6587 g | 41.03 gr |
Ounce | 1 mH2O(1 in3) | 2.6587 dag | 0.938 oz |
Pound | 10 | 2.6587 hg | 9.38 oz |
Stone | 100 | 2.6587 kg | 5.86 lb |
Kental | 1000 | 26.587 kg | 58.6 lb |
Hogshead | 10000 | 265.87 kg | 586.14 lb |
The transcript of the original document gives the value of a kental as 16 stones at one point and 10 stones in another point. 10 was presumably the intended value, given the otherwise consistent decimalization.
Subsequent developments
Under the
Washington repeated similar calls for action in his second[7] and third[8] annual messages (after Jefferson's report). Jefferson's decimal proposal had the support of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, James Monroe, and George Washington. Robert Morris was a powerful opponent of the proposal.[2] In late 1791 the Senate appointed a committee to report on the subject and make recommendations. The committee reported in April 1792, unanimously endorsing Jefferson's decimal system. The Senate was slow to act on the matter and while they delayed events in France complicated the issue. Although French scientists working on a decimal system had originally supported using the seconds pendulum as a scientific basis, and Jefferson had deliberately matched his seconds pendulum proposal to the French one, based on a measurement at the latitude of Paris, the French decided to use the length of a meridian of the Earth instead of a seconds pendulum. This and other developments changed what had promised to be an internationally developed system into a strictly French project. Jefferson wrote, "The element of measure adopted by the National Assembly excludes, ipso facto, every nation on earth from a communion of measurement with them."[2]
The Senate continued to consider Jefferson's two proposals, along with a number of new proposals, for several years. In 1795, a bill titled "An Act directing certain experiments to be made to ascertain uniform standards of weights and measures for the United States" was passed by the House and was approved by committee in the Senate, but on the last day of the session the Senate said it would consider the bill during the next session. The bill was never taken up again. In 1795, the
Origins
The proposal by William Waring from 30 January 1790
Unit | Definition | Jeffersonian equivalence |
---|---|---|
"Lineal Measure" | ||
Min | 0.1 decu | 1⁄3 line |
Decu | 0.1 hand | 1⁄3 inch |
Hand | 0.1 pend | 1⁄3 foot |
Pend, Ell | ca. 39 inches | 1⁄3 decad |
Caten | 10 pends | 1⁄3 rood |
Muta | 10 catens | 1⁄3 furlong |
Mile | 10 mutas | 1⁄3 mile |
League | 10 miles | 3+1⁄3 miles |
"Plane Measure" | ||
Med | 10 square decus | 1+1⁄9 square inches |
Foot | 10 square hands | 1+1⁄9 square feet |
Floor or Square | 10 square pends | 1+1⁄9 square decads |
Rood | 10 square catens | 1+1⁄9 roods |
Acre | 10 roods = 1 square muta | 1+1⁄9 double-acre |
Hide | 10 acres | 11+1⁄9 double-acres |
"Solid Measure" | ||
Bimin | 10 cubic mins | 10⁄27 cubic lines |
Trimin | 10 bimins | 3+19⁄27 cubic lines |
Bidecu | 10 cubic decus | 10⁄27 metre |
Tridecu | 10 bidecus | 10⁄27 demi-pints |
Bihand | 10 cubic hands | 10⁄27 bushel |
Trihand | 10 bihands | 10⁄27 quarter |
"Liquid Measure" | ||
Met | 0.1 pint | 4⁄27 demi-pint |
Pint | 0.1 gallon | 4⁄27 pottle |
Gallon | 4 cubic hands | 4⁄27 bushel |
Firkin | 10 gallons | 4⁄27 quarter |
Vas or Hogshead | 10 firkins | 4⁄27 last |
"Dry Measure" | ||
Manu | 0.1 pottle | 1+1⁄3 or 1+13⁄27 demi-pint |
Pottle | 0.1 bushel | 1+1⁄3 or 1+13⁄27 pottle |
Bushel | 9 or 10 gallons | 1+1⁄3 or 1+13⁄27 bushel |
Seem | 10 bushels | 1+1⁄3 or 1+13⁄27 quarter |
Way | 10 seems | 1+1⁄3 or 1+13⁄27 last |
"Weights" | ||
Grain | 0.1 dram | 1+23⁄27 carat |
Dram | 0.1 ounce | 1+23⁄27 double-scruple |
Ounce | 0.1 pound | 1+23⁄27 ounce |
Pound | mH2O(0.5 cubic hand) | 1+23⁄27 pound |
Stone | 10 pounds | 1+23⁄27 stone |
Centon | 10 stones | 1+23⁄27 kental |
Mille | 10 centons[check spelling] | 1+23⁄27 hogshead |
Quinton | 10 milles | 18+14⁄27 hogsheads |
See also
- Approximate conversion of units
- Mesures usuelles
- Metrication in the United States
- Seconds pendulum
- United States customary units
Notes
- ^ Washington, George. "From George Washington to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, 8 January 1790". US National Archives, Founders Online.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-452-28459-3. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
- ^ Journals of the Continental Congress, Wednesday, July 6, 1785
- ^ William Waring (1790-01-30): A Plan for Weights and Measures archived at Library of Congress
- S2CID 144775875.
- ^ The American Presidency Project, George Washington: First Annual Message, accessed October 13, 2006
- ^ The American Presidency Project, George Washington: Second Annual Message, accessed October 13, 2006
- ^ The American Presidency Project, George Washington: Third Annual Message, accessed October 13, 2006
- ^ A Plan for the Regulation of Weights & Measures, respectfully proposed to the Legislature of the United States
References
- The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Monticello Edition, Washington, D.C.: The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association, 1904, Vol. 3 pp. 26–59.
- Thomas Jefferson to House of Representatives, July 4, 1790, Report on Plan for Establishing a Uniform Currency, with Draft Copy archived at Library of Congress
External links
- Plan for Establishing Uniformity in the Coinage, Weights, and Measures of the United States, American State Papers
- Plan for Establishing Uniformity in the Coinage, Weights, and Measures of the United States
- A metrication timeline that places the work of Thomas Jefferson in context
- How Pirates Of The Caribbean Hijacked America's Metric System by Joe Palca for NPR