I grew up on the World Book Encyclopedia, 1958 edition. I used to marvel at all the information in that work under "petroleum".
But where does this say that the US was the FIRST nation to use decimal currency? Being pro-USA, I don't want to dispute this, it being a fact which I've used many times to support an argument for US metrication. But this list is such a persnickety place that I thought I'd have to start challenging my own assumptions. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Norman & Nancy Werling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 9:28 PM Subject: [USMA:25990] Re: Fw: International System of Units (SI), themetric system > Paul and all, > > Hey that rhymed! > > Although my wife has urged that we give away our set of World Book > Encyclopedias, I have resisted. Even with the internet, I still refer to > them. > > I quote from our 1972 World Book, Volume 13, pages 594-595: > > "The Coinage Act of 1792 established the first national mint and set up the > first system of money in the U.S. Congress established the American dollar > as the basic unit of this system. The American Dollar had about the same > value as the Spanish dollar. The new money system included both gold and > silver coins. Congress chose the decimal system to count money units > because it was easy to use (see Decimal Number System). > > Along with their new money, Americans continued to use many foreign coins. A > law passed in 1793 made these coinds a legal part of the U.S. coinage > system. Under the law, the value of a foreign coin depended on the amount > of gold or silver in it. In 1857, Congress passed a law removing foreign > coins from circulation." > > Norm > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Paul Trusten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 11:35 > Subject: Re: [USMA:25975] Re: Fw: International System of Units (SI), > themetric system > > > > From what I understand, the US was the first nation to > > adopt decimal currency, but I haven't researched > > the question specifically. > > > > > > From: "Norman & Nancy Werling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Date: 2003/06/08 Sun AM 12:03:30 EDT > > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Subject: [USMA:25975] Re: Fw: International System of Units (SI), > themetric system > > > > > > Pat, > > > > > > I really am not certain who may have used decimal money first but > certainly, > > > it was not the British! <g> > > > > > > Norm > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "Norman Werling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 21:24 > > > Subject: Re: [USMA:25959] Fw: International System of Units (SI), > themetric > > > system > > > > > > > > > > Dear Norman, > > > > > > > > You refer to the adoption, by the USA, of decimal currency (in 1793 I > > > > think). Do you know if the USA was the first nation in the world to > adopt > > > > decimal currency, or was there any other nation who had done so > earlier? > > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > > > Pat Naughtin LCAMS > > > > Geelong, Australia > > > > > > > > on 2003/06/07 23.55, Norman & Nancy Werling at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Good morning all, > > > > > > > > > > I had just finished sending an email to my Democratic Senator Zell > > > Miller > > > > > through his web site just before continuing a search in which I > finally > > > found > > > > > the following link which gives valid email addresses for presumably > all > > > United > > > > > States Senators: > > > > > http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm > > > > > > > > > > Miller seems to vote with Republicans more often than not but is not > > > seeking > > > > > reelection in November 2004. For that matter, at the risk of > becoming a > > > > > single issue voter, I may be inclined to support any party, even > that of > > > > > Dubya, that can demonstrate foresight by pressing SI into use in the > > > United > > > > > States. > > > > > > > > > > Anyway I just sent the following email to my Republican Senator > Saxby > > > > > Chambliss who began a 6-year term in 2003. I am pleased to report > that > > > the > > > > > email did not bounce back so I feel these addresses are valid for > use. > > > I > > > > > wonder if Chambliss will reply, which Congress members normally do > by > > > letter > > > > > through U.S. Mail. > > > > > > > > > > I suppose some of you will think I was too pushy or incendiary but > here > > > it is > > > > > for your information. > > > > > > > > > > Norm > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > From: Norman & Nancy Werling <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 17:35 > > > > > Subject: International System of Units (SI), the metric system > > > > > > > > > > Dear Senator Chambliss, > > > > > > > > > > I feel very strongly that the United States is foolishly avoiding > the > > > > > inevitable use of SI and I would like very much to send you > information > > > on > > > > > this matter. > > > > > > > > > > Do you realize the SI is much used behind the scenes in the U.S. but > > > that its > > > > > use is hidden from the public by the government, industry, and the > > > media? > > > > > > > > > > Our neighbors to the north, Canada, believed us in 1975 when we said > we > > > were > > > > > changing to SI but we double-crossed them. Thus we have single > handedly > > > > > stalled their progress with harmonizing with the rest of the world. > > > > > > > > > > Even the United Kingdom, at last, is diligently abandoning the > measures > > > upon > > > > > which are based so-called "U.S. Customary" and is moving its people > > > into > > > > > daily use of SI. > > > > > > > > > > The planet has learned English more to satisfy Americans than the > > > British. > > > > > The least we can do is to adopt the much easier and simpler decimal > > > based SI. > > > > > As far as I can see, only laziness, stubbornness, or dare we say, > > > perhaps > > > > > arrogance is holding Americans back from joining the countries of > all > > > the > > > > > other continents of the world in using SI. > > > > > > > > > > May I correspond with you and send you information on the subject on > the > > > > > International System of Units (SI), the metric system? We are > staring > > > at > > > > > another deadline for our trading with the growing European Union > which > > > > > requires the use of SI by 2009. Japan, China, Australia and > everyone > > > else > > > > > wait impatiently and negotiate continually for us to join the world > in > > > using > > > > > SI. > > > > > > > > > > Congress must take the lead according to The Constitution, Article > I, > > > Section > > > > > 8, Paragraph 5 which reads "To coin Money, regulate the value > thereof, > > > and of > > > > > foreign coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures". Thank > > > goodness > > > > > the early Congresses adopted our decimal money. Now it is time for > > > Congress > > > > > to adopt the decimal measures of the International System of Units > (SI), > > > the > > > > > metric system. > > > > > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > > > > > Norman V. Werling > > > > > 1240 Hunters Drive > > > > > Stone Mountain, GA 30083-2545 > > > > > 404-292-9328 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Paul Trusten, R.Ph. > > 3609 Caldera Blvd, Apt. 122 > > Midland TX 79707-2872 USA > > 432-694-6208 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience > and laziness. > > > > ---Franz Kafka > > > > >
