Portuguese units of measurement: Difference between revisions
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'''Portuguese customary units''' were used in [[Portugal]], [[Brazil]] and other parts of the [[Portuguese Empire]] until the adoption of the [[metric system]] in the 19th century. |
'''Portuguese customary units''' were used in [[Portugal]], [[Brazil]] and other parts of the [[Portuguese Empire]] until the adoption of the [[metric system]] in the 19th century. |
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The official system of units in use in Portugal from the 16th to the 19th century was the system introduced by king [[Manuel I of Portugal|Manuel I]] around 1499-1504. The most salient aspect of this reform was the distribution of bronze weight standards (nesting weight piles) to the towns of the kingdom. The reform of weights is |
The official system of units in use in Portugal from the 16th to the 19th century was the system introduced by king [[Manuel I of Portugal|Manuel I]] around 1499-1504. The most salient aspect of this reform was the distribution of bronze weight standards (nesting weight piles) to the towns of the kingdom. The reform of weights is unparalleled in Europe until this time, due to the number of distributed standards (hundreds), the size (64 to 256 marcs) and the elaborate decoration. |
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In 1575, king [[Sebastian of Portugal|Sebastian]] distributed bronze standards of capacity measures to the main towns. The number of distributed standards was smaller and uniformity of capacity measures was never achieved. |
In 1575, king [[Sebastian of Portugal|Sebastian]] distributed bronze standards of capacity measures to the main towns. The number of distributed standards was smaller and uniformity of capacity measures was never achieved. |
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The first proposal for the adoption of the metric decimal system in Portugal appears in [[1795]], inserted in J. A. Bacelar Chichorro's report on the [[Portuguese economy]], which included a weights and measures chapter. |
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⚫ | In 1814, Portugal was the second country in the world – after France itself – to officially adopt the metric system. The system then adopted used the names of the Portuguese traditional units instead of the original French names (e.g.: ''vara'' for metre; ''canada'' for litre; and ''libra'' for kilogram). However, several difficulties prevented the implementation of the new system and the old Portuguese customary units continued to be used, both in Portugal and in Brazil (which meanwhile became an independent country in 1822). |
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== Route units == |
== Route units == |
Revision as of 17:06, 17 March 2020
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Manuel_I1.jpg/220px-Manuel_I1.jpg)
Portuguese customary units were used in Portugal, Brazil and other parts of the Portuguese Empire until the adoption of the metric system in the 19th century.
The official system of units in use in Portugal from the 16th to the 19th century was the system introduced by king Manuel I around 1499-1504. The most salient aspect of this reform was the distribution of bronze weight standards (nesting weight piles) to the towns of the kingdom. The reform of weights is unparalleled in Europe until this time, due to the number of distributed standards (hundreds), the size (64 to 256 marcs) and the elaborate decoration.
In 1575, king Sebastian distributed bronze standards of capacity measures to the main towns. The number of distributed standards was smaller and uniformity of capacity measures was never achieved.
The first proposal for the adoption of the metric decimal system in Portugal appears in 1795, inserted in J. A. Bacelar Chichorro's report on the Portuguese economy, which included a weights and measures chapter.
In 1814, Portugal was the second country in the world – after France itself – to officially adopt the metric system. The system then adopted used the names of the Portuguese traditional units instead of the original French names (e.g.: vara for metre; canada for litre; and libra for kilogram). However, several difficulties prevented the implementation of the new system and the old Portuguese customary units continued to be used, both in Portugal and in Brazil (which meanwhile became an independent country in 1822).
The metric system was finally adopted by Portugal and its remaining colonies in 1852, this time using the original names of the units. Brazil continued to use the Portuguese customary units until 1862, only then adopting the metric system.
Route units
Portuguese name | English name | Subdivides in | Equivalence in Léguas de 20 ao grau |
Metric equivalence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Légua de 18 ao grau | League of 18 to the degree | 6173 m | ||
Légua de 20 ao grau | League of 20 to the degree | 3 milhas geográficas | 1 | 5555 m |
Milha geográfica | Geographical mile | 1/3 | 1851 m |
Length units
Portuguese name | English name | Subdivides in | Equivalence in Varas | Metric equivalence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Braça | Fathom | 2 varas | 2 | 2.2 m |
Toesa | Toise | 6 pés | 14⁄5 | 1.98 m |
Passo geométrico | Geometrical pace | 5 pés | 11⁄2 | 1.65 m |
Vara | Yard | 5 palmos | 1 | 1.1 m |
Côvado | Cubit | 3 palmos | 3/5 | 0.66 m |
Pé | Foot | 12 polegadas | 3/10 | 0.33 m |
Palmo de craveira | Span | 8 polegadas | 1/5 | 0.22 m |
Polegada | Inch | 12 linhas | 1/40 | 27.5 mm |
Linha | Line | 12 pontos | 1/480 | 2.29 mm |
Ponto | Point | 1/5760 | 0.19 mm |
Weight units
Portuguese name | English name | Subdivides in | Equivalence in Arráteis | Metric equivalence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tonelada | Tonne | 13.5 quintais | 1728 | 793.152 kg |
Quintal | Hundredweight | 4 arrobas | 128 | 58.752 kg |
Arroba | Arroba | 32 arráteis | 32 | 14.688 kg |
Arrátel | Pound | 4 quartas | 1 | 0.459 kg |
Marco | Mark | 8 onças | 1/2 | 0.22950 kg |
Quarta | Fourth | 4 onças | 1/4 | 0.11475 kg |
Onça | Ounce | 8 oitavas | 1/16 | 28.6875 g |
Oitava | Dram | 3 escrópulos | 1/128 | 3.5859 g |
Escrópulo | Scruple | 24 grãos | 1/384 | 1.1953 g |
Grão | Grain | 1/9216 | 0.0498 g |
Liquid volume units (for Lisbon)
Portuguese name | English name | Subdivides in | Equivalence in canadas | Metric equivalence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tonel | Cask | 2 pipas | 600 | 840 l |
Pipa | Barrel | 25 almudes | 300 | 420 l |
Almude | 2 potes | 12 | 16.8 l | |
Pote | Pot | 6 canadas | 6 | 8.4 l |
Canada | 4 quartilhos | 1 | 1.4 l | |
Quartilho | Pint | 2 meios quartilhos | 1/4 | 0.35 l |
Meio quartilho | 1/8 | 0.175 l |
See also
References
- Barroca, M.J. (1992) «Medidas-Padrão Medievais Portuguesas», Revista da Faculdade de Letras. História, 2ªa Série, vol. 9, Porto, pp. 53–85.
- Dicionário Enciclopédico Lello Universal, Porto: Lello & Irmão, 2002.
- Monteverde, Emilio Achilles (1861) Manual Encyclopedico para Uzo das Escolas de Instrucção Primaria, Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional.
- Paixão, Fátima & Jorge, Fátima Regina (2006) «Success and constraints in the adoption of the metric system in Portugal», The Global and the Local: The History of Science and the Cultural Integration of Europe. Proceedings of the 2nd ICESHS (Cracow, Poland 6-9, 2006).
- Seabra Lopes, L. (2003) "Sistemas Legais de Medidas de Peso e Capacidade, do Condado Portucalense ao Século XVI", Portugalia: Nova Série, XXIV, Faculdade de Letras, Porto, p. 113-164.
- Seabra Lopes, L. (2005) "A Cultura da Medição em Portugal ao Longo da História", Educação e Matemática, nº 84, Setembro-Outubro de 2005, p. 42-48.
- Seabra Lopes, L. (2018) "As Pilhas de Pesos de Dom Manuel I: Contributo para a sua Caracterização, Inventariação e Avaliação", Portugalia: Nova Série, vol. 39, Universidade do Porto, p. 217-251; a German translation of this paper is published as: "Die Einsatzgewichte König Manuels I: Ein Beitrag zu ihrer Beschreibung, Bestandsaufnahme und Gewichtsbestimmung", Maβ und Gewicht: Zeitschrift für Metrologie, nr. 130, 2019, p. 4078-4109
- Seabra Lopes, L. (2018) A Metrologia em Portugal em Finais do Século XVIII e a 'Memória sobre Pesos e Medidas' de José de Abreu Bacelar Chichorro (1795), Revista Portuguesa de História, vol. 49, 2018, p. 157-188.