Metric System Day: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about Metric System Day (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. Metric System Day is celebrated on April 7th.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of Metric System Day, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as fun facts you might want to know about Metric System Day.

📅 What day is Metric System Day 2024?

In 2024, Metric System Day is on Friday, April 7th. It is the 1st Friday in April; in 2024, it is Sunday. There are until the next observance. You also can see all the exciting details and facts about April 7, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

Metric System Day is observed every year on April 7th. It is a system of measurement used in most countries, except for the United States and a few others. Created by France in 1799, the metric system is based on meters and kilograms, with measurements in decimal units. The base units of the metric system are kilograms, meters, and liters. Temperature is measured using the Kelvin or Celsius scale. The metric system also uses prefixes like milli, centi, deci, and kilo, but these prefixes are not used for temperature degrees.

📜 Metric System Day History

In 1820, various countries, including the Kingdom of the Netherlands, began adopting the metric system as a standardized system of measurement. The German Empire, established in 1871, also chose to use the metric system. Italy followed suit in the same year. Between 1875 and 1914, several other nations, such as Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Paraguay, the Philippines, and Vietnam, also embraced the metric system. In the United States, legislation was passed in 1866, allowing the use of either the metric system or US customary units for business purposes. Similarly, in 1897, the United Kingdom implemented a similar law, giving its residents the option to trade using either the metric system or Imperial units.

✅ Metric System Day Facts

🔖 There was a metric clock, too
Every day was split into ten decimal hours and each of those hours was further divided into 100 decimal minutes.

🔖 The U.S. is not the only resistor
The metric system is still being resisted by the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar.

🔖 There was a metric calendar
The metric calendar, also called the French Republican calendar, was implemented in 1795 and organized the year into 12 months. Each month was further divided into three weeks, with each week consisting of 10 days.

👍 Why Is Metric System Day Important

Following its implementation in 1799, the metric system encountered some opposition and adjustments. Even France, its forefather, abandoned its usage early in the post-Napoleonic era.

The metric system might have been forgotten if it hadn’t been for the scientists who changed its introduction in 1850. On this day, we commemorate the universal acceptance of the metric system as well as the tenacious brains that strove to standardize it.

On this day, we also recall the laws, organizations, and treaties (such as the Treaty of the Meter) that developed in industrialized nations such as the United States in order to facilitate the adoption of the metric system. These treaties established the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, today known as the SI.

🙂 How To Observe Metric System Day

⚡ Share the news

⚡ Learn more
On Metric System Day, you have the opportunity to dedicate your time to reading and studying about the metric system. This includes exploring its various units and understanding the significance of each unit. Additionally, you can delve into the origins, influential figures, and development of the metric system throughout history.

⚡ Advocate for its wider adoption
Use the hashtag #MetricSystemDay to share your ideas and perspectives on Metric System Day on social media. You can also use social media to talk about the history and benefits of the metric system.

📅 When is Metric System Day?

You can view all 🔗 April holidays, including 🔗 Special Interest and other 🔗 Educational holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and fun facts about Metric System Day. So be sure to check back soon.