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The Metric System In The United States

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The Metric System In The United States
The metric units of measure and the customary units of measure are two systems of measurement used in the world today. The metric system is an alternative system of measurement used in most countries and is based on joining one of a series of prefixes with a base unit of measurement (ten). The customary system of measure is a system of measurement used primarily in the United States of America and measures in inches, feet, yards, et cetera. The first use of the metric system was in 1799, during the French Revolution. This occurred when the existing system of measurement was temporarily replaced by a decimal system when the current system started to lose its popularity. The customary system first developed from English units, such as time, length, mass, and force, which were being used by the British empire before the United States won its independence. …show more content…

One argument is that the United States of America should switch entirely to the metric system. The United States would have a worldwide communication, since almost every other country uses it. The metric system is easier for everyone to learn because the system is based on ten. It would also make travel easier for the United States and other countries because people would not have to switch between miles and kilometers. The metric system is also what is used for science and most sports. On the other hand, some people would argue that the United States of America should keep the customary system of measure because it would be a lot harder to transition. It would be very costly and difficult for people to learn and re-teach an entirely new system. Generations of Americans have grown up using the customary system, therefore making it harder for them to change. It would also take a large amount of time and money to convert all the cook books, road signs, and gas to the metric system

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