| I can only assume historically, the earliest man must | | | | archers in history were the Mongols. Genghis Khan |
| have faced a dilemma when he went off to hunt for | | | | was the leader of the Mongols who were expert |
| food. The wild animals were big, and if you got too | | | | horsemen who could stand high in the stirrups and |
| close, they could devour you before you got the | | | | shoot arrows in all directions. Maybe the most |
| chance to kill them. There were no guns at this point, | | | | recognized name in archery is William Tell. Legend has |
| so man probably had to put himself in harm's way | | | | it that William refused to bow in the presence of |
| more times then not, just to increase his chances of | | | | authority, so he was ordered to shoot an apple off |
| catching his prey. I can assume at this point and time, | | | | of his son's head.Bows were still being used in battles, |
| man was thinking of ways to increase his chances of | | | | until the late 1500s. In 1520 AD the musket was |
| catching his prey, while trying to reduce the potential | | | | invented. English archers were last used in battle in |
| physical harm to himself. Maybe this is when the idea | | | | 1644 AD. With the invention of the firearm, it |
| of the spear began to form in man's mind.The spear, | | | | became apparent that there was no longer any need |
| in its most basic form, was a stick that was | | | | for archers on the battlefield.Though no longer used |
| sharpened at the end. Soon after the spear, came | | | | for battles, archery skill contests became popular in |
| the bow. The bow was a device used to hurl the | | | | England, toward the end of the 1600s. In the US |
| spear distances greater then man could throw with | | | | archery was basically a Native American activity until |
| his arm. The device used in conjunction with the | | | | 1828, when the United Bowmen of Philadelphia was |
| bow, would later become known as an arrow. Some | | | | formed. The National Archery Association was |
| of the oldest arrowheads were found in Africa, and | | | | established in 1879, and the first national tournament |
| were dated before 25,000 B.C. The first composite | | | | was held that year in Chicago. Archery was actually a |
| bow was created by the Egyptians; this occurred | | | | competition in the second modern Olympic Games in |
| sometime around 2800 B.C.For obvious reasons, the | | | | 1900. Unfortunately, because so many countries had |
| bow and arrow became a great tool for hunting | | | | different rules on how they judged the sport; the |
| food. And over time man even found ways to | | | | Olympics dropped archery as a competition after |
| improve the accuracy of his shooting; he did this by | | | | 1920. The FITA was formed in 1931, in Paris. What |
| adding feathers to his arrows. The bow and arrow | | | | this organization did was to create standardized rules, |
| also became a great tool for fighting. Archery was a | | | | for archery in international competition. By 1972, |
| weapon for many of the early armies. The Egyptians | | | | enough countries had affiliated themselves with FITA, |
| used archers on the back of chariots, they were | | | | that it helped archery to be restored as an Olympic |
| highly skilled, and could easily outflank an enemy army | | | | event. |
| with devastating effect. Probably the most famous | | | | |