United States Customary System

Summary of United States Customary System

The system of weights and measures currently in use in the United States. In the early years of the Republic, varying standards of weights and measures were in use in different parts of the country; even such common measures as the pound, ton, and foot were not standardized. Inasmuch as most duties at the time were specific duties tied to units of measure rather than value, the collection of customs duties was erratic. In response to this condition, the U.S. Senate in 1830 called upon the forerunner of the Customs Service to adopt standard units of weight and measure to be applied universally at all ports of entry. In implementing the Senate's directive, the customs agency adopted the units in common use at the larger ports of entry (hence the origin of the name customary system).

The standards so adopted are substantially still in effect and are used by the Customs Service in the assessment of specific duties.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)