U.S. Standard Half Bushel
U.S. Standard Half Bushel
Usage conditions apply
- Description
- The Articles of Confederation stated that Congress shall fix “the standard of weights and measures throughout the United States,” and similar language appeared in the Constitution. Little, however, happened until the 1830s when Congress instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to furnish standard weights, measures, and balances to the several states and customs houses. An Office of Weights and Measures was then organized, and placed in the Treasury Department. This heavy brass volume is part of that endeavor. The inscription on the side reads “UNITED STATES STANDARD / HALF BUSHEL / 1842.” It came from the National Bureau of Standards, the agency that was formed in 1901 and took over the metrological functions of the government.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- volumetric measure, u.s. standard half bushel
- Date made
- 1842
- Measurements
- inside: 19.3 cm x 43 cm; 7 5/8 in x 16 15/16 in
- overall: 7 3/4 in x 16 1/2 in; 19.685 cm x 41.91 cm
- ID Number
- CH.309582
- catalog number
- 309582
- accession number
- 103830
- Credit Line
- Transfer from Department of Commerce Bureau of Standards
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Chemistry
- Measuring & Mapping
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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