Why a Foot Isn’t Always a Foot: The Suprising Story of Standardized Measurement
Why Measurement Matters
Pace it out, put one foot in front of the other, measure from fingertip to shoulder. These are all forms of measurement we use often. How many times have you seen someone measure out “10 yards” by taking 10 paces? (If you watch soccer—or global football—this happens in every match!) We all use standardized measurement every day, whether it’s tracking the distance of a daily walk, sizing up a table, or weighing ingredients for baking.
But have you ever stopped to think about where these measurements came from? Why is a foot called a “foot”? Who decided how long an inch should be? And why do some countries use inches and pounds while others use centimeters and kilograms?
As a woodworker, I rely on precise measurements every single day. Whether I’m crafting a custom table, cutting dovetail joints, or designing a new piece of furniture, accurate measurements are the foundation of my work. But it wasn’t always this way. Let’s take a journey through time to explore the fascinating history of how humans learned to measure the world around them—and how we ended up with the systems we use today.
The Problem with Body Parts: Why We Needed Standards
Before rulers, tape measures, and digital scales, people used what they had on hand—literally. Early civilizations relied on body parts to measure things. The ancient Egyptians used the cubit, the distance from the elbow to the fingertips. Farmers in medieval Europe measured fields in furlongs, the length a team of oxen could plow without resting. Even today, we still use terms like “hand” to measure the height of horses.
But here’s the problem: not all body parts are created equal. My foot might be smaller than yours, and your arm might be longer than mine. Imagine trying to build a house or trade goods when everyone’s measurements are different! This inconsistency led to confusion, disputes, and even fraud.
For example, in ancient Rome, merchants were known to use shorter “feet” when measuring cloth to cheat customers. To solve these problems, societies realized they needed a standardized system of measurement—one that everyone could agree on.
The Birth of Standardized Measurement: Ancient Civilizations
The Egyptians and the Cubit
The first known standardized measurements date back to ancient Egypt, around 3000 BCE. The Egyptians used the cubit, which was roughly 18 inches long, based on the length of the pharaoh’s forearm.
But even the cubit had its flaws. Over time, different pharaohs had different arm lengths, so the cubit wasn’t always consistent. To fix this, the Egyptians created a “royal cubit” made of stone, which became the official standard.
The Babylonians and the Sexagesimal System
Meanwhile, in Mesopotamia, the Babylonians were developing their own system of measurement. They used a base-60 (sexagesimal) system, which is why we still divide hours into 60 minutes and minutes into 60 seconds today.
The Babylonians also created standardized weights and measures for trade. For example, they used a unit called the mina for weighing goods. But like the Egyptians, their system was tied to physical objects—like stone weights—that could vary over time.
The Roman Influence: Feet, Miles, and More
Fast forward to ancient Rome, and we see the roots of the imperial system we still use today. The Romans were master engineers, and they needed precise measurements to build their roads, aqueducts, and colossal structures.
They introduced the pes, or Roman foot, which was about 11.6 inches long. They also created the mille passus, or “thousand paces,” which became the modern mile. (Fun fact: Roman soldiers would count their steps to measure distances while marching!)
The Roman system spread across their vast empire, influencing measurement systems in Europe for centuries. But after the fall of Rome, standardization fell apart, and regions began using their own local units.
The Middle Ages: A Mess of Measurements
During the Middle Ages, measurement systems became a chaotic patchwork. Every town and kingdom had its own units, often based on the local ruler’s body parts. For example, the English yard was said to be the distance from King Henry I’s nose to the tip of his outstretched thumb.
This lack of standardization made trade and communication difficult. Interestingly, the length of a 'foot' could vary significantly depending on the town or region, leading to inconsistencies in measurements. It wasn’t until the Renaissance that people began to push for a universal system.
The Imperial System: How Common Units Were Developed
The imperial system, which evolved from Roman and Anglo-Saxon units, was officially standardized in the British Empire in 1824. Let’s take a closer look at how some of its most common units came to be:
The Inch
The inch has its roots in ancient Rome, where it was defined as the width of a man’s thumb. This informal measurement was practical for everyday use but led to inconsistencies. By the 14th century, England had standardized the inch as 1/12 of a foot. The word “inch” comes from the Latin uncia, meaning “one-twelfth,” reflecting its fractional relationship to the foot. Over time, the inch became a critical unit for carpentry, textiles, and engineering. In fact, the inch was so important that King Edward II of England declared it the official unit for measuring cloth, ensuring fairness in trade.
The Foot
The foot was originally based on the length of a human foot, but as you can imagine, this led to inconsistencies. In the 14th century, England’s King Edward II declared that one foot would be equal to 12 inches, based on the length of his own foot. This royal decree helped standardize the unit, but it wasn’t until the 16th century that the foot was officially defined as 12 inches across the British Empire. The foot became a cornerstone of construction and land measurement, used to build everything from cottages to cathedrals.
The Yard
The yard has a royal origin story. It’s said to have been defined by King Henry I of England as the distance from his nose to the tip of his outstretched thumb. This whimsical definition was later standardized to 3 feet. The yard became a key unit for measuring cloth, land, and even arrows in medieval England. By the 14th century, the yard was officially recognized as the standard unit for trade, and iron yardsticks were created to ensure consistency. These yardsticks were often kept in town squares, where merchants could verify their measurements.
The Mile
The word 'mile' originates from the Latin phrase mille passus, which translates to 'a thousand paces. In medieval England, it was redefined as 8 furlongs (a furlong being the length of a furrow in a plowed field). This agricultural connection made the mile a practical unit for measuring large distances, especially for farmers and travelers. By the 16th century, the mile was standardized as 5,280 feet, a length that remains unchanged today. The mile became essential for mapping roads, calculating travel times, and even setting postal rates.
The Pound
The pound dates back to Roman times, when it was based on the weight of a specific number of grains of wheat. This made it a practical unit for trade and commerce. In medieval England, the pound was standardized to 16 ounces, a system that persists today. The pound became a key unit for measuring everything from spices to precious metals. In fact, the Tower Pound, used in England during the Middle Ages, was the standard for weighing coins and was kept under strict guard in the Tower of London.
The Metric System: A Revolution in Measurement
The French Revolution and the Birth of the Metric System
The metric system was born out of the French Revolution in the late 18th century. Revolutionaries wanted to sweep away the old ways—including the confusing and inconsistent measurement systems.
In 1799, French scientists introduced the meter, defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator. They also created the gram for weight and the liter for volume. The system was designed to be simple, logical, and based on natural constants.
The Spread of the Metric System
At first, the metric system faced resistance. People were used to their old ways, and changing entire systems of measurement wasn’t easy. But over time, the metric system’s advantages became clear. It was decimal-based, making calculations much easier, and it was universal, allowing people from different countries to communicate more effectively.
Today, the metric system is used by almost every country in the world—except for the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. (Fun fact: the U.S. actually has adopted the metric system for scientific and military purposes, but imperial units remain the standard in everyday life.)
Why Standardized Measurement Matters
From the cubit to the meter, the history of standardized measurement is a story of human ingenuity and the need for consistency. Whether you’re building a pyramid, baking a cake, or crafting a piece of furniture, standardized measurements make our lives easier and more efficient.
As a woodworker, I rely on precise measurements every day. Whether I’m cutting dovetail joints or designing a custom table, accuracy is key. It’s amazing to think that the units I use—like inches and feet—have such a rich and fascinating history.
So the next time you measure something, take a moment to appreciate the centuries of history behind that ruler or scale. And if you’re in the market for a beautifully crafted piece for your home, why not browse my collection? Every piece is made with the same precision and care that has defined measurement for thousands of years.
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Ready to bring the precision of history into your home? Check out my handmade woodworking creations, each crafted by Doug Hill in our New Jersey workshop. Shop Now
Image Sources:
Image of Doug Hill in workshop and Infographic: Grayhill Woodworking LLC
Image of Thumb: Photo by brokenarts on Freeimages.com
Map graphic: By Goran tek-en, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=96077271
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