Daylight Saving Time

November 1, 2009

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Profile America — Sunday, November 1st. Daylight Saving Time ended this morning at 2 a.m., to return next year on the second Sunday in March. November also saw two landmarks in the history of keeping time. On this date in 1884, time zones around the world were set by delegates from 25 nations at a Washington, D.C., conference. And the year before, American Charles Dowd proposed four time zones for the U.S. to standardize then chaotic railroad timetables. Keeping time is not only important for individuals, businesses and transportation, but also lends itself to a fashion statement. The U.S. exports $218 million worth of watches a year, but we import more than $2 billion worth. Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, now preparing for the 2010 Census.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 532, 534
U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Press Release, Exhibit 15
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/exh15.pdf