Paul, French are equally ignorant about USA. The main diference is that the French are usually convinced they know.
History is too vast a subject to know more than a slim peace of it. That's one of the thing I like about this forum, I keep learning plenty of things and people are not shy when it come to correct someone else.
Lately, two friends of mine were complaining about how ignorant americans are when it comes to Geography. I played a little game with them.
I asked where Guinea is: they answered Asia.
Then, I asked them where is Timmbuktu: they answered India/Nepal.
Finally, I asked where Uruguay is: They answered that it was land locked in the middle of South America. At least they had the continent right.