Ok, I was reading through the Potter Law thread while having my coffee today and came across Shez's post. I'll quote the relevant part here...

As much as I respect Shez as an author I have to say I find this theory flawed in the extreme. It is true that the American magical society would be far from perfect it would be better than the magical society of Great Britain as depicted in canon. Let me explain before all you people scream for my execution.

The British magical society is highly insular as per the descriptions provided in canon. The connections that all the pureblood families seem to have proves this as does the bigoted theories on blood purity. In this case they are also extremely arrogant due to the very fact that they are among the oldest magical societies.

Now, lets look at what an American Magical society would look like. They would most likely have been founded at the same time as the muggle government and for the same reasons. However, more so than the muggle government the wizards that left Britain for the Americas would want to break away from the MoM. Why? Think about who the wizards that left Britain for the Americas would have been. They wouldn't have been the staunchly traditional and stuck-up purebloods. They would have been half-bloods and muggleborns that wanted a better life.

I won't go into a history lesson, but take a few minutes to research the reasons (aside from religion) that people left Europe for the Americas. These reasons would apply to the magical societies too. Thus, the attitudes and influences of the older societies would have influenced the creation of the American magical society into a far less restrictive one.

Also, the US has always been about innovation and advancement. Make it better, cheaper, and faster. This attitude would carry into the magical society as well. Thus, I would imagine that most magical advancement in the last 200+ years has come from the US and NOT Europe. Not all, but most.

Lets also consider WW1 and WW2's effects. Magical societies of Europe would have suffered many of the same ill effects as muggles during these wars. Especially loss of property. Consider how the wars would have impacted the British magical society as opposed to the US's.

All this isn't to say one is "better" than the other, but in just the 200+ years that the American magical society would have existed they have diverged massively from Britain's society. Simply dismissing them as a fanciful concept of "American fanfiction writers" is just as stupid as proclaiming that the British magical society is better than all others because of its age.

Lord knows I wouldn't set foot in the British magical community as outlined by Rowling.

 

Just wait till Mordecai comes around. He's gonna rip you a new asshole.

I agree that American society is bound to be less pureblood oriented than England's, but I'm ambivalent as to whether America has been the source of new magical knowledge. Perhaps different magic.

 

You're right that Magical Britain is very insular, but I disagree on the America is more innovative part. There is no indication of the muggle/magical governments being more co-operative, there is no indication of American wares in British Magical areas. Muggle America may be about innovation, but the magical world sure wouldn't be.

Mostly due to the fact that electricity wouldn't mean a thing to them. Most of America's consumer products are electricity based, therefore there is no reason for the magical side to adapt to the new technologies. Magic is better than present day technology, it can negate it, it has numerous advantages over it, Jesus, the only reason muggle Britain could ever stand a chance against magical Britain is because of pureblood ignorance, which is negated the instant a bullet-stopping shield can be put up.

I don't see persecution being the most notable reason for migration to the US, if you research it a bit, the American colonies were set up mainly by the rich and powerful back in England/France/Spain/Portugal. The only reason the US is even independant is because of the War of Independance, which was over the British government controlling them more than they liked (forgive me if there are any more specific reasons, but I've never actively studied the American War of Independance), but Magical Britain has never been ruled by a Monarchy, has always been more democratic in nature (hence the Wizengamot/ICW), thus no reason for the US to break free from British/French/etc. control.

Chances are Magical America would still be a colony of the European States, espcially since apparition can take you from America to England in an instant.

On the topic of Magical people not wanting to go to America, I call bullshit. America was rich in gold and silver, which are the two most valued metals in magical currency. A galleon is a coin made out of solid gold. The more gold you have, the richer you are. If you find out there's a shit load of gold in another country, that hasn't been claimed yet, you'd be over there as soon as possible, along with the other few thousand wizards/witches that join you.

In conclusion, there is no reason for the magical section of the US to be more innovative than Europe. Most of the US's current technological might is due to advanced electronics and other such gadgetry. On a side note, America is much more intolerant than Britain, just look at the Bible belt, so muggleborns would be in a lot more danger over there than here, where they are accepted(ish).

Aekiel

P.S. New magic would only come from Native Americans, which is probably where a lot of animal/nature based magic originated. I imagine the animagus transformation would have had heavy influence from Native Americans. Remember, all the famous magical libraries are in Europe or formally European controlled areas, like Hogwart's library and the Library of Alexandria.

 

This has been discussed previously in the FanFic Discussion section, I'll point you to the thread. My relevant arguments can be found there.

http://forums.darklordpotter.net/showthread.php?t=5243

 

Firstly, I would like everyone to note that this time it was NOT me that started this, and I am thus NOT to blame.

Now Kender, I'm actually going to take time I don't have just now to go through your post paragraph by paragraph to make sure your "new asshole", as Amerision put it, is very comprehensive.

Insular as in not taking an active role in muggle life, yes. Insular as in having little to do with other nations? No idea, cause there is no proof. Now, Perhaps Britain's restrictions are rather...harsh. Maybe obliviating any muggle that might possibly concievable have witnessed any small little thing is a bit much in your eyes. But think about it. Britain is smaller than I think all but one of the States. Not totally sure, but its down there with the smallest. There are few areas of unpopulated land in large quantity. In the US there are myriad places that no one lives. If the muggle population were to turn on wizards, then would it not be easier for US wizards to find a place for large numbers to gather and hide? This would mean that naturally US wizards would be less cautious, less fearful of muggles.

One other thing I take issue with. You seem to think that there would be no racism or bias against muggles. Perhaps this is the case. But remember in GoF, the Salem Witches Institute, the fact that it is a Witches institute suggests no men. This would suggest an entirely different form biggotry and oppression.

Hmmm, wasn't the reason for the Revolution dissent with the level of taxes? Who's to say that the Magical World has simlar taxes? Would it not be easier for people to sustain their own livelihood, thus removing the need for a lot of taxes? Taxes aren't needed for building maintanaince, except to pay a person for the amount of time it takes to cast a spell, and maybe for the occassional potion.

Who's to say it would be the half-bloods and muggleborns that wanted a better life that left? Could just as easily, if not more easily have been the lower Purebloods, or perhaps the second sons etc of the higher Purebloods, ones who didn't stand to inherit much in Britain, but could go to America, and create a reasonable fascimile of British Society but with themselves at the fore. To me that seems more likely than the suggestion you put forward.

And also, the same reasons? Considering that the two societies are so incomparable to be near opposites when it comes to the needs of the majority I sincerely doubt that. Try to think out your arguements a bit better than that please.

See previous paragraph, but also...If anything the opposite of what you suggest in the last sentence would occur. As sad as it may sound, a muggleborn matched up to fight a Pureblood of equal power would lose. Simply because they have less experience, especially during their formative years. They see magic as a tool, not as an actual part of them. They are, to coin a phrase, muggles who use magic. Purebloods grow up around magic, live it, breath it, know it. That means they have a vastly better chance at being able to control society. Especially 200 + years ago, when muggleborns would in general be fairly ill educated to begin with, and probably physically weaker. Hell, almost certainly there would be much fewer of them, as fewer would survive to adulthood without the magical cures no doubt used to make sure almost all wizard offspring survive.

This allows me to bring up a point I love. Magical society is all about passing the knowledge and skills on. That means the older the society the more knowledge and skills there are to be passed on. Europe will have ancient libraries, rare collections, familial knowledge, all which will allow more research to be carried out, for new spells and theories to be put forward. Obviously there is an ongoing production of such new spells or the Ministry wouldn't have a Department of Experimental Charms, would they?

If what you have said is true, and Magical America is basically a bunch of muggle loving muggles who happen to be able to use a bit of funky magic every so often, then they wouldn't have the history or the culture to create new forms of magic, unless it was to attempt to ape some sort of technological advance, or to ape something they hear about wizards doing elsewhere in the world. However, they would also lack the resources to make any major advancements, because they would lack the old knowledge. Unlike with most science, with magic once something is discovered it remains valid for a very long time. Only a few things are that enduring in science. A spell creator living in Europe will be able to access all sorts of libraries, to read old manuscripts for background, suggestions, arithmatical thoery, magical theory, similar spells etc. A spell creator in America, won't have those same old manuscripts, and would thus have to do without them.

Then what about the civil war, all those bloody combats with the Indian Tribes over the last couple hundred years, hell, modern terrorism in the US. How do you get around that same arguement applied to the magical community in the US?

Also, consider the fact that a wizard on his own, could well manage to build and entire house in a very short period of time. Not having to bother with such things as electricity, plumbing and gas lines due to magic, all they have to build is the structure, which with the aid of several spells wouldn't necessarily take all that long.

It is dismissed as a fanciful concept, simply because no American seems capable of writing a believable Magical Community. Its always perfect. Completely and utterly perfect. Even on DLP, whenever this discussion comes up and an American gives their conceptualised write up of the US Magical Community, its perfect, it keeps up with muggles, its fair and equal, it teaches muggles subjects as well as magical (which is just plain stupid), its ruled by Congress and the Senate (why hasn't its existence already been discovered by muggles yet then?) etc etc etc. I would be more than willing to read and enjoy a fic set in America, if it was realistic and believable.

Thats because as an American you don't have the faintest under standing of heritage the way the British do. The majority of British people (most but not all) appreciate the fact that our country has thousands of years of history and culture, and they like to keep that fact around themselves to a small extent. With the wizarding world being one that has no real need or requirement for modernistic things like electricity, it would naturally be more historically prone than muggle society.

 

Here we disagree. The magical world, as set up by Rowling, would not have a prayer in a war against Muggles. The numerical advantage of the muggles aside, modern technology is superior in destructive force and ability than magic for one simple reason: it is ever evolving. I won't say that the magical world would have an advantage in the early days of this hypothetical war, but technology advances faster than magic and muggles would be able to adapt and effectively eliminate the magical advantage faster.

Also, the issue of no American wares being in Britian this returns to the point of how insular and ignorant magical Britain is. They believe they are the epitome of civilization and ignore the rest. Hence their total ignorance, for the most part, of the muggle world.

1. The ICW is the magical version of the UN. The British magical society was most likely a founder, but it isn't anything special...and most likely just as worthless and the UN.

The original colonies were founded with the purpose of expanding empires and resources there's no question there. However, ask yourself why so many people continued to leave Europe. Look it up in a history book.

Now, for the barny-style explanation of the reason the colonies wanted independance: the concept of "you're no where near me, you don't get to dictate my life". Apparation from the UK to the US would be impossible for the vast majority of wizards and witches. Apparition becomes more difficult as distance increases. Thus you're still talking about a government that's basically enforcing it's policy and rules on those outside its realistic sphere of influence. Also, returning to my explanation that it would most likely have been the half-bloods and muggleborn wizards and witches moving the the colonies the opportunity to create a government that wasn't biased toward the pureblood agenda would be too good to pass up.

Huh? I don't recall saying magical people wouldn't want to move to America. In fact, I stated the opposite. The ones that wouldn't want to move would be the most wealthy of the pureblood elite. The same reason that the titled aristocrats of the muggle world didn't move to the colonies would apply. Why leave your power-base if you can send hirelings to make money for you? The problem is that once those hirelings are out of your sphere of control they may think for themselves (something few in magical Britian have shown the ability to do).

The world is intolerant. Period. Expose the magical world to the muggle world and you will have intolerance everywhere. A hidden magical community in the US would be no more subject to intolerance based on magical ability than anywhere else. Intolerance issues based on religion, race, creed, etc. is rampant world wide not just in the US. Muggle Britain may be more accepting in many regards than the muggle US, but we're not discussing those aspects. The Magical US would be far more tolerant of half-bloods and muggleborns (if they even titled people as such) simply because of the far greater numbers of those two groups than purebloods.

Yeah, that's flawed logic. Magic is a skill just like all others. Knowledge is lost over time, found again, improved upon, adapted to current needs etc. Just like with technology new magical discoveries and developments would be based on need. If there's a need to be able to do something magically that there isn't a spell for yet then one must be made. Who is going to make that spell? Someone who doesn't have the need or someone who does? To say that people in the US would be less magically knowledgeable is somewhat lame.

 

No, I take full blame for this topic. I also think you have several good points in your reply Mordecai. I believe the primary reason that we see the situations so differently is our basic concepts of magic and the societies it has created.

Case in point: your comment...

In my view of magic it is as you called it, a tool. You also commented...

This argument doesn't float with me. When people move they take their books and knowledge with them. In the case of the US you're actually going to end up with a magical community with a far, far broader scope of knowledge collected due to the diversity of those who moved to the colonies. You may not have the same depth of knowledge, but you will have a much better breadth of knowledge. This means research becomes easier and new theories may, in fact, be superior because they are being based on a wider range of knowledge.

I agree with you in respect to your comments on the insular nature that the magical society in the US may have taken. With far greater areas to hide in, the need for exposure to muggles would be greatly reduced. I don't really have an opinion one way or the other here as I can see circumstances that may have lead things in either direction.

There is the crux of the issue though. Realistic circumstances can lead to a magical community in the US that in many respects mirrors the muggle US or the magical world of the UK. The entire thing comes down to your view on the hows and whys of magical migration to the Americas.

Should the US magical community be protrayed as perfect? Hell no. Lord knows the muggle US is far from it. However, that doesn't mean that writers who make the US magical world sound better than the UK magical world should be insulted or tossed away out of hand.

And in closing... you said

My reason for saying I wouldn't set foot in magical Britain had nothing to do with my understanding of heritage or lack-there-of. It has to do with my views on magic and the world based in comparison to those of the British magical community. Heritage is important, but when it corrupts and stagnates a society it is more of a hinderance than an asset.

Being proud of one's roots is wonderful. Knowing the historical value of your society is excellent. However, if you let yourself become too complacent with your 'heritage' then you fail to move forward. If this kind of thinking was held by the majority then we'd all still be living in caves.

Anyway... and interesting discussion.

 

I'll also go through every paragraph.

Exactly- depicted from canon which is from the veiw point of some one who has grown up around muggle technology and would obviously think anything mediavel would be slightly stagnant.

I would like to state this- the blood purity veiw point are from bigoted purebloods. Purebloods who would have also fled to America for power, and then fled back at the slightest whiff of a civil war. Also, we haven't got a clue if the Ministry is arrogant to other countries- or the pruebloods being arrogant to others. So that point is moot, from what I can understand of it.

Also, another point- The Patils, Cho Chang and Blaise Zabini are all people that magical Britain would veiw as beneath them because their families came from other countries. However, there is nothing to support that. After all, Parvati is freinds with Lavender Brown isn't she?

Also, if Britain was insular why would there be a be a Tri-Wizard competion? Briatin would have surely veiwed Bulgaria and France as beneath them. But they don't seem to.

There is no evidence of that- also, it would have been those who wanted to make money and the muggleborns and half-bloods would have left America becasue of the slaves. After all, they'd have understood that the slaves wanted a better life and therefore wouldn't have been enslaved. So, if they did flee purebloods would have flocked their eager to make money out of muggle slaves. Pureblood paradise!

And by the time the Civil war came (between the Confederacy and Union) the purebloods would have fled and the few wizards/witches that didn't leave would have been immensely wary. They live longer that muggles, and will most certainly be more wary of themuggles becuase they remember the slavery and opression.

But according to you, Magical Britain is insular, and several of the countries in Europe are older than Britain and would have been insular as well. Therefore, they would have considered America as beneath them so why would they have went there? It's possible they went there for the Native American's magic but those would have been expeditionary trips. Grow and Expand, the very point of nature is ingrained in the human mind- i'm sure it expands to knowledge or else we'd still be in the stone ages. So the government would have formed from the witches and wizards that didn't flee, and it is likely that America is far stricter than Britain, simply becasue their afraid they may be enslaved.

Grow and Expand, as I've stated before. Humanity on general wish to make things better, faster and cheaper- why would the Magical American government be different from the Magical Eurpoean governments?

Muggle Repelling wards, the Fidelius charm and another assortment of magical things to make sure that Muggles don't discover Magic- could quite easily prevent them from taking land which belongs to the Magical communities.

You said in the first paragraph that America is better than Britain. I won't disagree that they would have been different from the British government, as i've stated before- the government would be more strict and be more orientated asround Antive American magics.

As Mordecai said, that's because you don't understand our heritage- we mimic the past, after all why would we have columns on buildings if it wasn't for our Roman Ancestors? The Wizards value their history more- after all, if history was written by the victors then what history is there to write? They care more about it because they can't step forward into the elctrical age- at least, not until; they can find a way to make elctrical machines work around magic.

 

Inferno, I completely agree with your post, apart from the last part. They have no need to step into the electrical age. They can light ever lasting fires that give out no heat and are impervious to water, so they don't need electric lighting. They can charm the air warmer or cooler, so no air conditioning. They can obviously mimic the effects when they want to, since they have the wizarding wireless. If they felt the need to they could probably find a way to mimic the effects of the television, computer or internet, but they don't have need of it, because the manage fine without it thanks to magic.

Kender, your final statement has everything to do with your lack of understanding of our appreciation of our heritage. The British Magical Community is based on it, slighty emphasised certainly, but still based on it to a great extent. As a country we have near constant reminders of our long history almost everywhere, apart from in New Towns and very outskirts of older towns. Major cities like Glasgow, London, Edinburgh, York, anywhere near the CBD all you have to do is look around and you see history, and mimicked history. Its a theme that was very popular for a long time, when you build something new, mimic the stuff already there. Doesn't happen quite so much now, but for a long time it did.

The same is true in the magical world, they take care of their history, appreciate it, nurture a respect for it. This may not stay true forever. As I mentioned the number of muggle borns will increase steadily with ever increasing medical care ensuring more children survive to an age where they would enter the magical world. This will lead to them destroying the traditional culture because they won't take the time to understand it, they will simply want to replace it with what they know, no matter what anyone else says. That is where the blood purity biases stem from, fear for their culture. Hell, its where a lot of modern racism over here stems from, fear of our traditional culture being diluted and destroyed by people coming in and not bothering to learn about it or appreciate it.

 

About the last part- I realize they don't need it, but it will happen. As you said, their are more muggleborns who aren't going to want to learn about the nature of the wizarding world and wanting to replace it with their own things. It won't be a willing change, or even a fast one. It's like an ice river- slow, but monumentally powerful.

 

Mordecai,

Appreciation of heritage and attempting to integrate it into modern life is important, and I'd never say it wasn't. However, to dig ones heals into the ground and refuse progress in any arena simply because "that isn't how it was done last year" is taking it too far.

Appreciate, understand, learn from, but never live in the past.

The argument you use about destroying the traditional culture is exactly where the problem would lie if this were a real life scenario. You're saying that the traditional magical culture is superior to, and should overwrite, the heritage of the muggleborn. The traditionalist in magical society are scared of loosing power and influence to a more modern way of thinking thus they hide behind claims of cultural degredation. The reality is that new ideas and ways of thinking do not have to infringe on culture and heritage.

If you wish to go live in a cave and worship the moon and stars more power to you. However, should you wish to live in a home with modern magical or technilogical comforts and worship the moon and stars you are free to do that too. All too often to people see it as a black and white issue of one or the other.

No culture can remain "traditional" and stick to their heritage and survive; yet at the same time no culture can survive on constant radical change. There has to be a give and take. Hence the reason modern buildings sport columns or atriums or the reason that we protect and restore historical sites around the world. We keep those connections to our roots to ground us as inovation and inspiriation lead us forward.


Also, Inferno you bring up some interesting points, but there are two sides to all arguments. As I said before a lot of this comes down to a persons idea of the magical world. Rather than going point by point I'll just give a quick example. You say that things such as Repelling wards and the Fidelius charm would keep the magical communities safe. I disagree because I view magic as just a unique form of energy manipulation. Thus, technology could be developed to defeat it. Now, if you believe that magic is some minor form of divinity then no...technology could not overcome it and muggles would never overcome it. Yet, if that's the case...why do wizards fear muggles?

Just food for thought. Thanks for the fun discussions

 

I am amazed that no one has mentioned this yet.

Now class, today we will be learning about America.


*Now. SIT DOWN SHUT UP AND RESPECT MY AUTHORITAW!*

If you will open your books to page 128 you will see the chapter entitled "How to Pwn an Australian".

1. Call them british, they hate that.

Moving on to the next chapter of which is relevent to the disscussion at hand.

America is basically a big-assed melting pot of imigrants from all over the world.


We have...

Italians
Blacks
Mexicans
Whites
Puerto Ricans
Cubans
Asians
Koreans
Indians
Canadians
and Brazilians.


Just to list a few.

In conclusion class,

More people = More new and intelligent ideas.


AS you said the states have more people than all of britain.


This concludes our broadcast day.

Tune in next time for " How to Pwn an Armenian. "

 

Yes but I was directly targeting what you said about the World Wars. Did anybody have that form of technology? No. And it's going to be along time before we have that kind of technology, and by that time those wards would be the magical version of obselote beacuse a new understanding of magic would have came about. Grow and Expand, that's what our knowledge does. Once the muggles have developed energy based weapons (which will alow them to manipulate enrgy) we'll have found a way to prevent wards from being manipulated. The Wizarding world may be stagnant, but they'll be able to develop a ward that can't be taken down. Then they'll study for a way to break this ward, whilst others study a way to implement this new wards ability into pre-existing wards.

And about the fear of muggles? They nurture their history, and what happened in the past? Muggles burnt those whom they beleived to be witches and they enslaved each other. Wouldn't you be terrified if you had that threat hanging over your head?

EDIT: And Dark Monarch, allow me to repeat something. If the wizards/witched were fine and dandy in their home country, why would they leave to a country which once enslaved people they believed beneath them?

 

A good question.

The Irish were fine in their country till the great potato famine hit, then they moved to the US. Why, beacuase the US had many oportunities for them to start a new life. Do you think that those people who lived in New Orleans are just gonna go back to the same spot they were before and start over, living the same existence as before. I think not, They moved elsewhere and are in different places now.

I have moved several times in my life, why do I do it? Because it is a new and exciting place full of unexplored paths for me.

 

True, but wizards could have easily over came that problem. Their may be magical variants of the potato that were immune to the disease that killed the non-magical ones. It isn't unlikely, and if it is the case, why would the wizards have moved. The wizards also likely had something to cure them, or at least was able to develope one when the disease struck

 

Meh, see here again our views on magic differ. My view on the magical world based on canon is that magic does not develope at even a fraction of the rate that technology does. This is how I would see things going..

1. Muggles realize they can't find Hogwarts.
2. Muggle scientists from around the world research the hows and whys on the issue.
3. Muggles develope a means to find Hogwarts and other hidden locations.
4. Muggles find a way to bomb the crap out of and/or invade said locations.

Picking up from there you've got the magical process...

1. Hogwarts was blown to hell and/or invaded
2. Magical world spends 6 weeks denying the event.
3. Magical world spends 6 weeks blaming everyone else for the event.
4. Someone claims the wards were bypassed by the muggles.
5. Magical world scoffs at the idea of their wards being breached by mere muggles. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
6. Independent research begins on how the wards worked in the first place so they can learn how to upgrade them. No funding or help comes from the purebloods who still deny the muggles ability to bypass the wards.
7. Now knowing how they worked in the first place still independent research begins on how to upgrade the wards. No funding or help comes from the purebloods who still deny the muggles ability to bypass the wards.
8. Independent research finally finds a way to create upgraded wards.
9. Purebloods demand their homes and businesses be protected first.
10. Ministries of magic declare the new ward design to be government secrets and refuse to allow wide-spread use.
11. None of this matters anymore because in the time it took all this to happen the muggles effectively found, and destroyed damn near every magical enclave.

Heh. Silly wand wavers.

 

But what if the disease was magical in origin and actually started with the magical potatos? What if the wizards of Ireland were the first to move?

There can be many versions of every "what if". That's what's great about fanfiction...we get to explore all the "what if"s we want.

 

I have always wondered if there is a "Magical America". Canon has shown that the Ministry of Magic is separate and independent from normal day Britain. What’s not to say that is fact its own country? If we are to think this way then the magical people of America would have been answering to the Ministry and not to the crown and may not have ever had the problems that the muggles has with their "no taxation with representation" and never declared their independence at all.

With Magic in place the relations would have been much better because of just travel time alone. It took around three months to sail a ship, but a portkey and bang you are in the colonies. The fact is that Magical America could really be Magical Britain. At least that’s what I think its like anyway. With the proper wards and the fact the even the muggle PM seems to be afraid of wizards it would not be that hard to have a whole society living in America that answers to another country that is based in the UK.

 

Am sorry, but that really pushed me over the edge.

Get laid you sad, sad little man.

If you were discussing Tolkein(sp?), I'd have no problem with magical potatoes, or whatever gets you off. He created a whole alternative universe from a young age. Rowling did not! You think that Rowling even thinks about things like this? I'll tell you now; she doesn't. She's a crap writer and here books are filled with pot-holes, which only confirms how little she cares about anything outside of what is mentioned in the cannon. You think you can apply logic to this? This is the magical world! Magic doesn't exist! If you think logic fits anywhere into this you're mad.

Both sides of this argument are fighting battles they can't win. The only person who is right is JK, and she couldn't care less.

P.S. Quit double-posting >_<

 

It's possible, but I'd find it unlikely. Using that kind of logic the Ministry of Magic should actually be based in Rome or Greece. Remember kids: Britian isn't the cradle of civilization. No, I'd be willing to bet that even if they ended up mirroring the British MoM's style and methods that the Americans have their own magical community.

As to the portkey issue I've always worked from the angle that just like apparition becomes more difficult as distance increases so would portkey creation. Thus, it would take a very powerful wizard or witch to create portkeys from europe to the US. Now, floo travel might work. No limitations have really ever been placed on that as far as I know.