I mean, sort of. TIL this particular unit came from different definitions of hundredweight. Though, I’d argue this is still kinda of British origin (and the pound).
My favourite unit to pick on when someone doesn’t want to switch to metric because it’s “European” and they’re proud Americans, is BTU.
Why yes, how American, British Thermal Units haha
Don’t be me started on tons of refrigeration 0_0 that’s nightmare fuel
Malgas@beehaw.org 3 months ago
The long (British) and short (American) ton are both 20 hundredweights. The American hundredweight is exactly 100 pounds, while the British hundredweight is 112. You tell me which of those is more reasonable.
That said, both units did, in fact, come from Britain. The old Imperial system often used the same name for different units depending on what was being measured and for what purpose. Both countries passed laws to simplify and consolidate these measurements in the early 19th century, but in many cases chose different versions to standardize on.
Obi@sopuli.xyz 3 months ago
Isn’t it also because they would use the same units but undercut the American buyers or something? Same why a pint isn’t a pint?
Malgas@beehaw.org 3 months ago
The pints thing actually has the same cause as I was talking about above: The British standardized around the Elizabethan ale gallon, while America used the Queen Anne wine gallon.
Cube6392@beehaw.org 3 months ago
fuckin’. WHAT!?
like i absolutely believe you, but this sounds completely insane