Check your history on " weights and measures". We simply had NO common system of measuring in inches, much less in thousandths of an inch, because we had no internationally agreed standards of measurement. "Caliber" and "Balls per pound" WERE used interchangeably, because that was the only "system" available at the time.
The French and British were arguing over measurements, as they argued over everything. When the British adopted the Inch standard, the French decided to use what we know now as the metric system instead. Since Great Britain controlled the seas, and therefore dominated International trade, Its system of measurements followed its empire around the World. The Rest of Europe eventually aligned with France, and adopted the Metric System.
There is Nothing BETTER about either system. We were told that converting to the Metric System would make everything easier( base 10)- yet millions of American had previously, and since, learned the English system of measurements( base 12, base 16, etc.) without any trouble at all. A lot of Americans felt Insulted by the proponents of this "change".
The attempt under Pres. Carter to adopt the metric system HERE in the USA has largely failed, as the public simply will Not accept it. Attempts, for instance, to have gas station pumps give the volume of gasoline sold In Liters failed, as did the attempt to have gas pumps show the price per liter, and pumps almost everywhere now show the volume in Gallons, only.
Deadlines made by our Federal government have come and gone for the total adoption of the metric system, and there appears NO appetite by the American public to be Pushed into accepting this, even though public schools are doing their darn-est to teach metric, and not our English system of weights and measures.
