I am personally not a huge fan of cheddar - this always gets me weird looks from friends. But it's also made me realize how incredibly common cheddar is in cooking when there's a whole world of other cheeses out there. How did cheddar become such a dominant cheese when there are so many other cheeses out there?
Can I extend the question to the UK, then? If not in the US, it's definitely default over here - a glance at the cheese aisle in any supermarket will tell you that.
Did it travel and store better in the era before easy refrigeration? Is easier, quicker or cheaper to produce than, say, Red Leicester or Double Gloucester?