On September 2, 1752, the British Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar, resulting in a dramatic time shift that caused quite a stir among the population. This change was due to the discrepancy between the Julian calendar, which had been in use for centuries, and the solar year.
The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE, had an average year length of 365.25 days. However, the actual solar year is slightly shorter, averaging about 365.2422 days. This small difference accumulated over time, causing the calendar to drift away from the seasons. By the 16th century, the discrepancy had grown to about 10 days.
To address this issue, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which included a more accurate leap year system. The new calendar omitted leap years in century years not divisible by 400, effectively reducing the average year length to 365.2425 days - much closer to the solar year.
While many Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar soon after its introduction, Protestant nations, including Britain and its colonies, initially resisted the change. It wasn't until 1752 that the British Empire finally embraced the new calendar.
To align the British calendar with the Gregorian calendar, the government ordered that September 2, 1752, be followed by September 14, 1752, effectively skipping 11 days. This change caused confusion and led to protests among the populace, who believed their lives were being shortened. Some even demanded their "lost days" back!
This calendar switch also had implications for various historical events and birthdates. For example, George Washington, born on February 11, 1731, under the Julian calendar, celebrated his birthday on February 22 after the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.
The adoption of the Gregorian calendar in Britain on September 2, 1752, marked a significant moment in the history of science and timekeeping, demonstrating the ongoing efforts to better align human-made systems with the natural world.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
