Why won't Americans change to the metric system?

Interesting question and interesting answers Blond Logic. Australia changed from imperial measurements to metric in the 1970's (after 200 years of use). It was done gradually and schools were the teaching grounds for the new system.

I was teaching in primary schools at the time and had to learn the new system before passing it on to the students. OMG! How easy is base 10!

Yep, everything happens around these numbers - 10, 100 and 1000. This measurement system was the easiest thing I have ever taught. No more converting by having to divide by 12, 3 etc, you implement the above numbers and hey presto, your answer is in decimal fractions.

What's even more interesting is the USA's monetary system is decimal. Making the switch wouldn't be that difficult if it was implemented.

First, there are military considerations. All of our vehicles and equipment are calibrated to the foot & pound system. This makes it more difficult for another nation to capture and use our equipment.

Maintenance becomes a problem for them.

Second, there are important economic reasons. The United States, in the not-too-distant past was a major exporter of equipment. Those who purchase American equipment must also purchase many thousands of dollars of American tools.

Consider this: the American's made a standard bullet for our weapons. The Russians then made their bullets just 2-hundredths larger. What that means is this: An invading Russian army can capture American ammo dumps and use the ammunition in their weapons.An American army invading Russia would not be able to use the Russian ammo at all!

However, in the science of engineering, the conversion to knowing both metric and foot-pound systems is strong. Our current major export is knowledge. Engineering design is one of these.

Calculations and specifications should be in metric.

For the same reason Europe wouldn't want to change to USA's system. I mean, would you want to go back to school to learn a new system of measurement? Probably not.

As Klevi says the school systems are teaching both systems and will probably not phase out either but retain them both for flexibilities sake.

That is a brilliant question. However, it's easier said than done. The United States of America has been using inches and yards and miles for centuries.It is not easy to simply jump in and change the whole measuring system of a country.

If it does happened, it should happened gradually. First of all, schools should being to teach children both systems while in elementary school and then the whole system could be eventually replaced step by step.

Engineers will know all systems. That is because they need to in order to communicate so I think that the new breed of American engineer are already using metric sometimes but not often.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.