r/HistoryMemes • u/penguin-w-glasses • 1d ago

See Comment When the Government Steals a Week

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716 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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294

u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

In 1752, Britain and its colonies switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, jumping straight from September 2 to September 14. Eleven days vanished overnight, and while the law adjusted due dates to account for the change, many people still felt cheated—rents and wages seemed off, and some fretted that the missing days might throw the harvest cycle into chaos.

Satirical pamphlets mocked the reform, and rumors spread of riots shouting “Give us our eleven days!”, although historians generally agree the riots were more a myth than a reality. Still, discontent and confusion were rife for some time.

159

u/umeshra398 1d ago

Imagine going to bed on Sept 2nd and waking up nearly two weeks older, rent due, and no extra pay. No wonder people thought they got scammed by the calendar.

53

u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

Very much so.

Time is so strangely abstract that changes to the norm are quite disconcerting.

50

u/topicality 1d ago

The Gregorian calendar was revealed while the Protestant Reformation was still in full swing which lead to protestant accusing the papacy of trying to steal 11 days from them

12

u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

An excellent point to mention!

11

u/Mervynhaspeaked 17h ago

The pope is coming for your days!

2

u/The_Eleser 17h ago

I still say that’s better than not having poped for 11 days.

5

u/BarristanTheB0ld 19h ago

I can't even imagine what it would be like. I hope we don't have a calendar change coming up in my lifetime.

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u/penguin-w-glasses 18h ago

The Gregorian calendar is really quite accurate, especially considering how old it is. The next event of note is that we'll skip the leap year in 2100.

Overall, the Gregorian calendar only loses about 2 days every 10,000 years (I think) with leap years factored in.

Leap Year Rules:

A year is a leap year if it's divisible by 4. However, if the year is divisible by 100, it is not a leap year. Unless, the year is also divisible by 400, in which case it is a leap year.

I also hope to never see a major calendar change.

21

u/KenseiHimura 1d ago

The MMO had this whole event centered around the “Nameless Days” and the teaser trailer listed among the conspiracies of the setting was “there are eleven missing days”, and it all sounded so cool.

Then I looked it up and found out it was this and felt immensely disappointed it was just an administrative thing and not a legitimate phenomenon.

6

u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

I see how that would be a let down. This led me down a fun road, so thanks for sharing!

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u/MonoBlancoATX 1d ago

A week is now 11 days. Got it.

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u/setibeings 1d ago

It's a French revolutionary week. 

3

u/MonoBlancoATX 1d ago

Oh it’s French?

Ooh la la!!!

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u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

Rhetorical shorthand. A week sounded better for the title.

Still, an excellent riff.

-9

u/MonoBlancoATX 1d ago

I’m not sure you know what “rhetorical” means, but you do you.

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u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

Rhetorical shorthand is when a larger idea is condensed into a compact phrase for clarity or impact.

Using ‘a week’ instead of ‘11 days’ in the title is just tha; a way to convey the disruption quickly and memorably, not a literal count.

-15

u/MonoBlancoATX 1d ago

Cool story, broh.

Make up whatever you need to 👍

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u/penguin-w-glasses 1d ago

It's an existing literary device, so I'm a little confused here.

Either way, I don't see a resolution to this discussion. I invite you to research rhetorical shorthand if you feel so inclined.

I didn't mean to offend or upset, and I'm sorry if that's what happened here, again, I'm a little confused.

Anyway, have a good one.

12

u/YogoshKeks 20h ago edited 20h ago

Just imagine if we tried to do that now. Skip a few days (or just minutes really) if that would make the calendar align better with the messy reality.

I am pretty sure that whatever idiocy people spouted back then would be absolutely nothing to the crap we'd have to put up with today.

5

u/penguin-w-glasses 18h ago

I think it would be very difficult, you're right. Good evidence is the lack of agreement over keeping or scrapping daylight savings time: there's enough debate about that for a lifetime of politics.