League

League is a unit of length. It is not commonly used today, but it was widely used in Europe and Latin America in the past. The exact length of a league varies from country to country and also depends on the historical period. In general, a league is roughly equivalent to 3 miles.

History

The league originated in ancient Rome, where it was defined as the distance that a person could walk in one hour. The Roman league, or leuga, was equivalent to about 1.5 miles. This measurement was used throughout the Roman Empire and was later adopted by other European countries.

In the Middle Ages, the league was redefined in many places to be the distance that a person could walk in one hour. This made the league a more practical unit of measurement for everyday use. In England, for example, the league was defined as 3 miles, while in France it was defined as 4 kilometers.

In the Americas, the league was used by the Spanish and Portuguese colonists. The Spanish league, or legua, was equivalent to about 2.6 miles, while the Portuguese league, or legoa, was equivalent to about 3.7 miles.

Usage

Today, the league is rarely used as a unit of measurement. However, it is still used in some contexts, such as in literature and in the names of some geographical features. For example, the Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a famous novel by Jules Verne, and the League of Nations was an international organization that existed from 1920 to 1946.

See also

• Mile
• Kilometer
• Roman units of measurement
• Spanish units of measurement
• Portuguese units of measurement

League Resources
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