measurements

A foot was length of a man’s foot.

An inch was the width of a man’s thumb. King Edward II of England later ruled that an inch was the length of 3 grains of barley placed end to end lengthwise

A cubit was the distance from one’s elbow to the tip of one’s middle finger.

A yard was the distance from one’s nose to one’s thumb, with the arm outstretched.

A hand was the width of a man’s hand.

A fathom was the distance between the fingertips of a man’s outstretched arms.

A rod was the length of the left feet of 16 men lined up heel to toe.

A furlong was the distance a team of oxen could plow without resting.

An acre was the amount of land a team of oxen could plow in a day.

A mile was a thousand paces—a pace being two steps.

A league was the distance a man could walk in an hour (about three miles).

Cloth was woven 1 yard wide because that is the length of a mans' reach.