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Why is a foot 12 inches long? Why is a pound abbreviated to "lb"? What did the original metre measure?

In this video, let's explore the historical and linguistic origins of the metric and imperial systems. From ancient Roman feet to French revolutionary timekeeping, we look at the surprising stories behind the units we still use today — including the inch, yard, mile, pint, and tonne.

👣 Whose feet inspired the original foot? 🌽 What does a barleycorn have to do with your shoe size? 🐂 How did cows invent the furlong? ⚖️ Why are there so many types of ton?

Whether you’re wondering how tall you are in fathoms or what exactly a “quart” is a quarter of, this video has the answer.

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==CHAPTERS== 0:00 Decimal time 1:19 Feet and inches 3:09 Ounces 4:50 Whose foot? 5:19 Barleycorns 6:15 Hands 6:33 Yards 6:55 Rods, poles, perches 7:40 Fathoms 8:16 Furlongs and acres 9:14 Spot the units! 11:00 Miles 12:09 Leagues 12:40 Pints, quarts, gallons 13:20 Pounds 14:18 Tons and tonnes 14:53 Metres 16:20 Spelling of metre/meter 16:41 Litres and grams 17:03 Metric prefixes 18:34 Metric dominance 18:45 US & UK imperial use