Bows and Arrows: 



A Chapter in the Evolution of Archery 

 in America 



By Paul E. Klopsteg 



Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University 



[With 5 plates] 



This article, as a first objective, is intended to acquaint the reader 

 with the sports and other pastimes which have to do with the bow 

 and arrow. Among the pastimes, perhaps surprisingly, are the seri- 

 ous theoretical and experimental studies of these ancient implements, 

 which contributed in large measure to the unparalleled increase in 

 their use in this country during the past 30 years. As a second 

 objective, an account of the technological advance which resulted 

 from the studies seems worth presenting, since the development is 

 interesting in its own right and because it is probably unique in sports 

 history. 



The sports mentioned are comprised of a variety of ways of using 

 the bow, all of which depend on skillful handling. Other diversions 

 include the collecting of old books and prints, which not only give 

 insight into the practice of archery centuries ago, but also reveal 

 something of the customs of those times. Then, too, there is the 

 collecting of bows, arrows, and associated gear from around the world, 

 and of artifacts which were obviously or presumably related to 

 archery. For a person of my interests, the most interesting diversion, 

 which attracted others of like tastes, is the research and development 

 aimed at understanding the mechanics of propulsion of the arrow and 

 of its flight characteristics. 



It is not intended here to review the history of archery, for to do 

 so would go far beyond the scope of this article. For reasons already 

 mentioned, the technical side of archery will be treated more fully 

 than the others. It is the area to which my attention and interest 

 were initially attracted, and the area in which the rapid evolution of 

 archery in the United States took place. 



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