Metric System Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Metric System Day occurs annually on April 7. The metric system is now frequently used as a synonym for the International System of Units (or S.I.). It is a system of measurement used in most countries of the globe, excluding the United States and a few others. France introduced the metric system in 1799; it is a decimal-based (based on powers of 10) measurement system based on metres and kilogrammes. The metric system’s fundamental units are the kilogram, the meter, and the litre. The metric system also measures temperature using the Kelvin scale (or the Celsius scale). In the metric system, the decimal-based prefixes include milli, centi, deci, and kilo. These prefixes are not, however, utilised with the temperature degree.

The background of Metric System Day

The origins of the metric system date back to 1586, when the Flemish mathematician Simon Stevin published a pamphlet titled “De Thiende” (The Tenth). In the pamphlet, Stevin emphasised the significance of decimal measurement and predicted that decimals would one day be used as the standard unit of measurement worldwide. Well, Stevin’s prophecies did not come true until Napoleon became emperor of France and introduced the metric system in 1799, more than two centuries later. As Napoleon’s conquest of Europe progressed, he also implemented the metric system in his new territories. As soon as Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, France and the majority of his former colonies reverted to their previous systems of measurement. In 1837, France reinstituted the metric system, and in 1840, roughly 50 years after its introduction, the metric system was made mandatory throughout the country.

Other countries, including the newly-formed Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, adopted the metric system as a unified system of measurement in 1820. Likewise, the German Empire, which was constituted in 1871 from the former German Confederation, continued to use the metric system. In the same year, the newly unified Italy opted for the metric system over the previous systems of measurement. Other nations, including Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Paraguay, Philippines, and Vietnam, adopted the metric system between 1875 and 1914. In 1866, the United States passed a law permitting commercial use of either the metric system or U.S. customary units. Many years later, in 1897, the United Kingdom also passed a law permitting its citizens to trade using either the metric system or Imperial units.

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METRIC SYSTEM DAY ACTIVITIES

Find out more

On Metric System Day, you can read and learn more about the metric system, its specific units, and the meaning of each unit. Learn more about the origins, pioneers, and development of the metric system.

Promote its widespread adoption

This holiday is also beneficial for promoting the widespread adoption of the metric system in the United States. It will undoubtedly simplify and standardise measurements.

Spread the word

Share your thoughts and perspectives on Metric System Day using the hashtag #MetricSystemDay on social media. Additionally, you can utilise social media to discuss the history and benefits of the metric system.

5 Interesting Metric System Facts

The Metric Calendar, also known as the French Republican Calendar, was introduced in 1795 and divided each month into three 10-day weeks.

Each day was divided into 10 decimal hours, with 100 decimal minutes per hour.

The United States, Liberia, and Myanmar continue to oppose the metric system.

Jefferson, Lord Kelvin, and Alexander Graham Bell were ardent proponents of the metric system.

With the passage of the Mint Act in 1792, the United States became the first English-speaking nation to adopt a decimal-based currency.

METRIC SYSTEM DAY DATES