Interresting perspective. But I have to disagree that Americans are not interrested in history. The problem is it is not being taught in our schools! Crying shame too. 
Though I have met a number of Europeans that have no idea about their history either. 
Now as for English history not being a part of American History, I really disagree. My ancestors were English at one time. This country was founded on many English ideals and by the English. If it was not for the revolutionary war we would still be...English! Yes, today we are a mixed smorgosborg of many differing nationalities melding and re melding into what we call "Americans". But at the heart the central ideals and history of this GREAT NATION are the ideals and history of Great Britain. English history, up to the great split with this colony, is OUR history. As for the reason the English longbow is more prevalent and used in England than it is here, well I put it down to being more of a fad and rediscovery of the longbow based on the Mary Rose being found and all the info. on the longbow comming from its discovery. Here in the states we are surrounded by lots of native American archery and so we end up replicating that. Though back in the late and early 1800's English archery and bows were the most likely to be found on the archery range. Everything just seems to be a cyclical nature of rediscovery.
I bet you ten to one that the Longbow is being rediscovered here on this website and will become and is becoming the next big thing in archery...again!
Each generation just rediscovers what the previous one happened to forget! There really is nothing being done today which is not either being rediscovered or being built upon something invented in the past! 
D. Tiller
PS: I love the English Longbow!!!!
D. Tiller, I didnt mean to sound as dour as perhaps I did. I agree with you 100 percent, history is not being well taught in schools across the US, based on my own horrible history teachers from grade school through college. However, I came from a family that loved reading, encouraged hisotry, and it just was part of my life from as far back as I can remember. So, no matter how bad my teachers were, I still enjoyed each course.
You are right about our English heritage, in overt and subtle ways. I myself have ancestors that were English, Welsh, Scottish, French, German, Dutch, Italian, and Scicilian. Our language is English (though if you speak to an Englisman, sometimes it seems we speak a very differnt language!). Our laws are based upon English law.
But, 1,000 years ago is a long time, and one of the great stengths and perhaps weaknesses with American character is it's youthful outlook, optimism, and so on. A fifty year old building is very old here in the states, while a 900 year old church is considered a new building in England. I cant count the number of times a great old building was torn down, to be replaced with a strip mall or whatever, and then that bit of heritage is lost forever. Perhaps that is part of why I think Amerians are as a whole not interested in history. But, yes, many Europeans are exactly the same way, and I am assuming that is true in Korea, China, Romania, and Brazil and everywhere else.
The longbow is a piece of wood, and a magical thing. But, so are just about any style of bow. That the longbow is perhaps coming back is no surprise, but like you said, it is cyclical. The warbow and it's fans maybe can be thought of as a subculture within a subculture?
Oh, JD, thanks, and I would love to see you put the arrow stuff on this thread, or make it clear where you are going to continue, if you post it in some other area, such as arrows.
Dane
