United States customary units are a system of measurements commonly used in the United States. Many U.S. units are virtually identical to their imperial counterparts, but the U.S. customary system developed from English units used in the British Empire before the system of imperial units was standardized in 1824. Several numerical differences from the imperial system are present.
The vast majority of U.S. customary units have been defined in terms of the meter and the kilogram since the Mendenhall Order of 1893 (and, in practice, for many years before that date). These definitions were refined by the international yard and pound agreement of 1959.
According to the CIA Factbook, the United States is one of three countries (the others being Liberia and Burma/Myanmar) that has not adopted the International System of Units (SI) metric system as their official system of weights and measures. The U.S. does not primarily use SI units in its commercial activities, although they are standard in science, medicine, and government (including the U.S. Armed Forces), as well as many sectors of industry.
Read more about United States Customary Units: History, Units of Length, Units of Area, Units of Capacity and Volume, Units of Mass, Cooking Measures, Units of Temperature, Other Units, Other Names For U.S. Customary Units
Famous quotes containing the words united states, united, states, customary and/or units:
“We can beat all Europe with United States soldiers. Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I’ll whip any other thousand men on the globe!”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
“We can beat all Europe with United States soldiers. Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I’ll whip any other thousand men on the globe!”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
“In the case of a deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exercise of ... powers not granted by the compact, the States ... are in duty bound to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil, and for maintaining within their respective limits the authorities, rights, and liberties appertaining to them.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
...
Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
That can denote me truly.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Even in harmonious families there is this double life: the group life, which is the one we can observe in our neighbour’s household, and, underneath, another—secret and passionate and intense—which is the real life that stamps the faces and gives character to the voices of our friends. Always in his mind each member of these social units is escaping, running away, trying to break the net which circumstances and his own affections have woven about him.”
—Willa Cather (1873–1947)