San Jose, California - Quiz
San Jose California
  • 1. How long is San Jose's trail network?
A) 80 miles
B) 65 miles
C) 100 miles
D) 50 miles
  • 2. Which publication recognized San Jose's trail network as the nation's largest?
A) Outdoor Life
B) National Geographic
C) Prevention Magazine
D) San Jose Mercury News
  • 3. Which of these is a major trail in San Jose?
A) Coyote Creek Trail
B) Pacific Crest Trail
C) Mount Umunhum Trail
D) Mission Peak Trail
  • 4. What kind of salmon are known to spawn in the Guadalupe River?
A) Sockeye salmon
B) Pink salmon
C) King salmon
D) Coho salmon
  • 5. What is the scientific name for the steelhead fish found in the Guadalupe River?
A) Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
B) Oncorhynchus mykiss
C) Oncorhynchus nerka
D) Salmo trutta
  • 6. San Jose is the southernmost major U.S. city with known what?
A) Salmon spawning runs
B) Coastal redwoods
C) Mammoth fossils
D) Tule elk herds
  • 7. In what year were Chinook salmon filmed spawning under the Julian Street bridge?
A) 2011
B) 2019
C) 2005
D) 1990
  • 8. Who discovered the remains of a mammoth on the banks of the Guadalupe River?
A) John Muir
B) The Santa Clara Valley Water District
C) Roger Castillo
D) An unnamed city official
  • 9. What animal recolonized the hills of south San Jose in 2019?
A) California condors
B) Grizzly bears
C) Mountain lions
D) Tule elk
  • 10. Where is the wildlife migration corridor between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range located?
A) Guadalupe River Park
B) Silver Creek
C) Alum Rock Park
D) Coyote Valley
  • 11. What was the population of San Jose according to 2022 estimates?
A) 1,000,000
B) 950,000
C) 1,100,000
D) 971,233
  • 12. What percentage did San Jose's population decline between 2020 and 2022?
A) 1.0%
B) 2.5%
C) 6.2%
D) 4.1%
  • 13. Which city is the only other US city in history to drop back under one million residents after reaching that milestone?
A) New York City
B) Detroit
C) Los Angeles
D) Chicago
  • 14. What is one reason given for San Jose's population decline?
A) Lack of water
B) High crime rates
C) Natural disasters
D) Remote working opportunities
  • 15. According to the text, what has blocked salmon from access to breeding grounds?
A) Overfishing
B) Pollution
C) Lack of water
D) Impassable culverts
  • 16. What part of the Bay Area is San Jose located in?
A) Northern
B) Southern
C) Western
D) Eastern
  • 17. Which body of water does the northernmost part of San Jose touch?
A) Monterey Bay
B) Lake Tahoe
C) Pacific Ocean
D) San Francisco Bay
  • 18. What is the name of the area where San Jose touches the bayshore?
A) Alviso
B) Mountain View
C) Sunnyvale
D) Santa Clara
  • 19. What is the total land area of San Jose in square miles?
A) 125.7
B) 180.0
C) 150.5
D) 200.2
  • 20. Where does San Jose rank in size among California cities by land area?
A) Second
B) Fourth
C) First
D) Third
  • 21. Which city is larger in land area than San Jose?
A) California City
B) Oakland
C) Sacramento
D) San Francisco
  • 22. Which two major faults surround San Jose?
A) San Jacinto and San Andreas
B) Hayward and San Andreas
C) Calaveras and Hayward
D) San Andreas and Calaveras
  • 23. What was the source of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake?
A) San Andreas Fault
B) Calaveras Fault
C) Hayward Fault
D) Mount Hamilton
  • 24. Where do the moderate earthquakes that shake San Jose typically originate?
A) San Andreas Fault
B) Calaveras Fault
C) San Francisco Bay
D) Mount Hamilton
  • 25. What magnitude earthquake struck near Mount Hamilton on April 14, 1984?
A) 4.8
B) 5.5
C) 6.2
D) 7.0
  • 26. Which earthquake caused damage to many buildings in San Jose in the early 20th century?
A) 1957 earthquake
B) 1891 earthquake
C) 1906 earthquake
D) 1989 earthquake
  • 27. In what year did the Daly City earthquake occur?
A) 1906
B) 1984
C) 1989
D) 1957
  • 28. Which of these years did NOT experience a significant earthquake in San Jose according to the text?
A) 1851
B) 1995
C) 1839
D) 1868
  • 29. What is the name of the language family the Tamien language belongs to?
A) Ohlone
B) Mexican
C) Nahuatl
D) Spanish
  • 30. In what year were the missions secularized by the Mexican Government?
A) 1833
B) 1777
C) 1800
D) 1791
  • 31. Who claimed California for the Spanish Empire in 1542?
A) José Joaquín Moraga
B) Juan Bautista de Anza
C) Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
D) José de Gálvez
  • 32. What event prompted the Portolá Expedition in 1769?
A) A massive earthquake
B) Shifting power dynamics in North America
C) The end of the mission system
D) The discovery of gold
  • 33. Who created the Captaincy General of the Provincias Internas in 1776?
A) Diego de Borica
B) Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa
C) José de Gálvez
D) Carlos III
  • 34. On what side of the Guadalupe River was the original San Jose settlement located?
A) Western bank
B) Northern bank
C) Southern bank
D) Eastern bank
  • 35. On what date was San Jose officially founded?
A) January 1, 1800
B) November 29, 1776
C) November 29, 1777
D) December 29, 1777
  • 36. Who officially founded the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe?
A) Juan Bautista de Anza
B) José Joaquín Moraga
C) Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa
D) Diego de Borica
  • 37. Why was the San Jose settlement moved south in 1791?
A) Severe flooding
B) Lack of water
C) Orders from the Russian government
D) Conflict with Native Nations
  • 38. Which modern-day plaza is centered on the location where San Jose was moved to in 1791?
A) Plaza de César Chávez
B) San Francisco Plaza
C) Guadalupe Plaza
D) Monterey Plaza
  • 39. In 1800, which governor split the Californias into Alta and Baja California?
A) Juan Bautista de Anza
B) José Joaquín Moraga
C) Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa
D) Diego de Borica
  • 40. What historical route connected the Monterey Presidio and the San Francisco Presidio?
A) The Santa Clara Path
B) El Camino Real
C) The Mexican Border Road
D) The Oregon Trail
  • 41. What is the estimated population of San Jose as of 2025?
A) 1,000,000
B) 989,814
C) 950,500
D) 850,000
  • 42. Who adopted the motto 'Capital of Silicon Valley' in 1988?
A) Gavin Newsom
B) Sam Liccardo
C) Ronald Reagan
D) Tom McEnery
  • 43. What is the land area of San Jose?
A) 200.50 sq mi
B) 125.40 sq mi
C) 179.97 sq mi
D) 150.25 sq mi
  • 44. Which major company is headquartered in San Jose?
A) Meta
B) Adobe
C) Apple
D) Google
  • 45. What is the primary climate of San Jose?
A) Desert
B) Mediterranean
C) Alpine
D) Tropical
  • 46. What is the ranking of San Jose's airport in Northern California by busyness?
A) First-busiest
B) Second-busiest
C) Third-busiest
D) Fifth-busiest
  • 47. Which transit hub connects San Jose to the broader region?
A) Central Terminal
B) Civic Center Station
C) Union Station
D) Diridon Station
  • 48. What percentage of San Jose's residents belong to the Hispanic community?
A) Over 50%
B) Exactly 20%
C) Over 30%
D) Under 10%
  • 49. Which historic ethnic enclave is located in San Jose?
A) Chinatown
B) Little Italy
C) French Quarter
D) Japantown
  • 50. What is the name of the museum located in San Jose that features Egyptian artifacts?
A) Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
B) Winchester Mystery House
C) Tech Interactive
D) Viet Museum
  • 51. Which major tech company is based in San Jose?
A) Tesla
B) Cisco
C) Microsoft
D) Amazon
  • 52. In what year did San Jose become part of Mexico?
A) 1777
B) 1850
C) 1821
D) 1848
  • 53. When did the U.S. Board on Geographic Names rule that the spelling should be 'San Jose'?
A) April 3, 1979
B) December 11, 1943
C) June 2, 1969
D) August 20, 1974
  • 54. Who designed the city flag adopted in 1969?
A) Clyde Arbuckle
B) The Board on Geographic Names
C) César Chávez
D) Catherine Linquist
  • 55. When did the city officially adopt the accent mark for use on the city seal and stationery?
A) August 20, 1974
B) April 3, 1979
C) June 16, 1970
D) December 11, 1943
  • 56. What is the convention regarding the accent mark in all-capital letters?
A) The accent is used only on the city logo
B) The accent is only used in formal documents
C) The accent is always required
D) The accent is dropped
  • 57. Why is the accent mark excluded from the name of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce?
A) It is a requirement of the city charter
B) The organization uses all-capital letters only
C) The Chamber of Commerce is located outside the city
D) The organization chose not to use the accent-marked name
  • 58. What population did residents want to acknowledge by returning to the 'San José' spelling?
A) The original founders of the state
B) Early settlers from Guadalupe
C) Mexican-American population
D) European immigrant population
  • 59. How many rancho land grants were issued in the Santa Clara Valley between 1833 and 1845?
A) 15
B) 38
C) 40
D) 19
  • 60. Who was the founder of Los Gatos, California, who received a rancho land grant?
A) José María Alviso
B) James A. Forbes
C) Josiah Belden
D) Antonio Suñol
  • 61. What was the population of San Jose in 1835?
A) Approximately 900
B) Approximately 400
C) Approximately 1,000
D) Approximately 700
  • 62. Who led the nineteen volunteers that captured the pueblo of San Jose in 1846?
A) John Montgomery
B) A. P. Hamann
C) Captain Thomas Fallon
D) Josiah Belden
  • 63. What was the date that the California Republic flag was raised, ending Mexican rule in Alta California?
A) March 27, 1850
B) July 14, 1846
C) December 15, 1849
D) September 9, 1850
  • 64. Which treaty formally ceded California to the United States in 1848?
A) Treaty of Santa Clara
B) Treaty of the California Republic
C) Treaty of San Jose
D) Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
  • 65. On what date did San Jose become the first capital of the state of California?
A) March 27, 1850
B) September 9, 1850
C) July 14, 1846
D) December 15, 1849
  • 66. Who was the first mayor of San Jose after it was incorporated in 1850?
A) Josiah Belden
B) Norman Mineta
C) A. P. Hamann
D) John Montgomery
  • 67. John Montgomery is remembered in San Jose for his pioneering work in what field?
A) Urban planning
B) Agricultural mechanization
C) Computer storage
D) Aviation
  • 68. What institution suffered over 100 deaths during the 1906 earthquake?
A) The California State Legislature
B) The Del Monte cannery
C) San Jose High School
D) Agnews Asylum
  • 69. In 1940, what percentage of San Jose's population was reported as white by the Census Bureau?
A) 98%
B) 80%
C) 75%
D) 90%
  • 70. Which company became a major industrial employer in San Jose, producing Landing Vehicle Tracked during World War II?
A) Food Machinery Corporation
B) IBM
C) Del Monte
D) BAE Systems
  • 71. Which invention was developed by Reynold B. Johnson and his team in San Jose?
A) Landing Vehicle Tracked
B) Hard disk drive
C) The M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
D) Punch card reader
  • 72. Who led the major growth campaign in San Jose during the 1950s and 1960s?
A) Janet Gray Hayes
B) A. P. "Dutch" Hamann
C) Josiah Belden
D) Norman Mineta
  • 73. When did San Jose surpass San Francisco as the most populous city in the Bay Area?
A) 1990
B) 1980
C) 1970
D) 2000
  • 74. By how many square miles did San Jose grow during Hamann's administration?
A) 132
B) 1,389
C) 17
D) 149
  • 75. What was the nickname given to Hamann's staff?
A) The Valley Planners
B) The Annexation Committee
C) Dutch's Panzer Division
D) The City Council Squad
  • 76. What was a chief source of revenue for San Jose during Hamann's tenure?
A) Mercury mining
B) Gold extraction
C) Property taxes
D) Sales taxes
  • 77. What were the narrow bands of land annexed along roadways called?
A) Corridors
B) Tentacles
C) Pockets
D) Behemoths
  • 78. What state body was created in 1963 to manage order regarding San Jose's growth?
A) The Urban Expansion Agency
B) San Jose Planning Board
C) California Land Commission
D) Local Agency Formation Commissions
  • 79. What resource was extracted in Almaden Valley for gold processing?
A) Sodium
B) Mercury
C) Gold
D) Quartz
  • 80. Where does Coyote Creek originate?
A) Santa Cruz Mountains
B) Mount Sizer
C) San Francisco Bay
D) Almaden Valley
  • 81. What is the lowest point in San Jose?
A) 13 ft below sea level
B) 0 ft above sea level
C) 2,125 ft above sea level
D) 13 ft above sea level
  • 82. Which reservoir's drainage has strained San Jose's water security?
A) Anderson Lake
B) Guadalupe Reservoir
C) Almaden Lake
D) Coyote Creek
  • 83. Which expressway is explicitly listed as a major thoroughfare in the text?
A) Mount Sizer Expressway
B) Santa Clara Expressway
C) Alviso Expressway
D) Lawrence Expressway
  • 84. What led to the end of Hamann's influence?
A) A state ban on annexation
B) Neighborhoods electing their own candidates
C) A city-wide vote on sales tax
D) The depletion of mercury
  • 85. What interference was added to the night sky in 2018?
A) Reflections from the Santa Cruz Mountains
B) Light from low pressure sodium lamps
C) Industrial smog
D) Blue light from LED billboards
  • 86. What was the total square mileage of San Jose in 1969?
A) 17
B) 44
C) 386
D) 149
  • 87. What is the Köppen climate classification for San Jose?
A) Csb
B) Cfa
C) Csa
D) BSk
  • 88. How many average days of sunshine does San Jose receive annually?
A) 285
B) 298
C) 250
D) 320
  • 89. What was the highest temperature ever recorded in San Jose?
A) 105 °F
B) 100 °F
C) 109 °F
D) 112 °F
  • 90. Which of these years recorded the lowest precipitation in San Jose in the last 127 years?
A) 1982–1983
B) 1893
C) 1911
D) 2020–2021
  • 91. When was the most recent snowfall that remained on the ground in San Jose?
A) August 16, 2020
B) September 6, 2022
C) January 30, 1968
D) February 5, 1976
  • 92. How many afternoons on average does the high temperature reach or exceed 90 °F in San Jose?
A) Ten
B) Sixteen
C) Twenty
D) Thirty
  • 93. What highway traffic is often snarled by snow near San Jose?
A) State Route 85
B) Interstate 280
C) U.S. Route 101
D) State Route 17
  • 94. How many City Council Districts has San Jose been divided into since 2020/2022?
A) 12
B) 10
C) 8
D) 5
  • 95. What is the oldest park in San Jose?
A) Oak Hill Memorial Park
B) Emma Prusch Farm Park
C) Alum Rock Park
D) Kelley Park
  • 96. In what year was Alum Rock Park established?
A) 1850
B) 1890
C) 1872
D) 1902
  • 97. What is the name of the park dedicated to the author of The Rape of Nanking?
A) Martial Cottle Park
B) Emma Prusch Farm Park
C) Iris Chang Park
D) Selma Olinder Park
  • 98. Which park is known as California's oldest secular cemetery?
A) Oak Hill Memorial Park
B) Alum Rock Park
C) Martial Cottle Park
D) Kelley Park
  • 99. Where can the Portuguese Historical Museum be found?
A) History Park
B) Alum Rock Park
C) Emma Prusch Farm Park
D) Rosicrucian Park
  • 100. Which neighborhood is a distinct ethnic enclave home to a community of Hispanics?
A) Little Portugal
B) Japantown
C) Washington-Guadalupe
D) Little Saigon
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