History and Purpose of Daylight Saving Time

Clocks will “spring forward” an hour this Sunday as daylight saving time (DST) continues to spark debate in the U.S. Though often attributed to farmers, the practice was proposed by George Hudson in 1895 for more daylight for insect collecting, with further advocacy by William Willet in 1907. DST was first implemented during World War I in Germany to conserve fuel, and the U.S. adopted it in 1918, though it was repealed in 1919. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established the current system, but attempts to abolish the clock changes have not succeeded.

Want More Context? 🔎