What is the primary focus of the General Time Convention established in 1883?

The primary focus of the General Time Convention established in 1883 was to establish time zones across the U.S. Before this convention, timekeeping was largely inconsistent, with towns and cities setting their clocks based on local solar time, which made scheduling across different regions difficult, especially for the growing railroad industry. The introduction of standardized time zones helped to streamline train schedules and improve overall communication and coordination across long distances. The convention led to the establishment of four main time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific), which are still largely in use today. This reform facilitated the expansion of transportation and commerce, helping the nation to synchronize its activities more effectively.

In contrast, creating uniform postage rates, standardizing railroad schedules, or regulating train speeds were issues that, while important, were not the main focus of the General Time Convention.