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American Folklore - Quiz
Contributed by: Howes
  • 1. What legendary frontiersman and folk hero is often associated with a coonskin cap?
A) Paul Bunyan
B) John Henry
C) Johnny Appleseed
D) Davy Crockett
  • 2. Which famous folklore figure is known for outwitting Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear in African American folklore?
A) Br'er Rabbit
B) John Henry
C) Casey Jones
D) Pecos Bill
  • 3. In American folklore, who is said to have led the African American slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad?
A) Calamity Jane
B) Harriet Tubman
C) Anne Oakley
D) Betsy Ross
  • 4. Which supernatural being in American folklore is known for granting wishes to those who free it from a lamp or bottle?
A) Leprechaun
B) Kraken
C) Genie
D) Banshee
  • 5. What mythical creature is said to inhabit the forests of the Pacific Northwest in Native American folklore?
A) Chupacabra
B) Wendigo
C) Sasquatch
D) Mothman
  • 6. Which famous folk song tells the story of a steel-drivin' man who raced against a steam drill?
A) This Land Is Your Land
B) John Henry
C) Home on the Range
D) Oh, Susanna
  • 7. What mythical bird is said to burst into flames and be reborn from its ashes in American folklore?
A) Kraken
B) Phoenix
C) Dragon
D) Griffin
  • 8. In Native American folklore, what powerful figure is often depicted as a trickster and transformer?
A) Skin-walker
B) Coyote
C) Wendigo
D) Thunderbird
  • 9. What is a common theme found in Native American creation myths?
A) Detailing the discovery of fire
B) Explaining how the earth was formed and where humans came from
C) Outlining the development of writing systems
D) Describing the invention of agriculture
  • 10. Which figure is often used symbolically in Native American myths?
A) Phoenix
B) Unicorn
C) Bear
D) Dragon
  • 11. What do many Plains tribes' flood myths usually end with?
A) The disappearance of all humans
B) The creation of new animals
C) The beginning of a new era
D) The restoration of the submerged earth
  • 12. What role do stories play in Native American cultures according to Barre Toelken?
A) They are used for historical records
B) They replace religious practices
C) They serve as entertainment only
D) They embody behavioral and ethical values
  • 13. Which of the following is NOT a common element in Native American myths?
A) Hero stories
B) Creation myths
C) Animal tales
D) Myths about the invention of technology
  • 14. What do feathers, beadwork, and dance steps represent in Native American cultures?
A) Icons of cultural meaning
B) Items used in trade
C) Symbols of wealth
D) Tools for hunting
  • 15. Which animal is NOT frequently referred to as a supernatural being in Native American myths?
A) Eagle
B) Bear
C) Snake
D) Unicorn
  • 16. What do hero stories in Native American folklore typically feature?
A) Animals teaching moral lessons
B) Ordinary people solving everyday problems
C) Heroes with supernatural powers who defeat evils
D) Historical figures recounting their lives
  • 17. What is a common purpose of animal tales in Native American folklore?
A) Explaining how features of certain animals occurred
B) Providing recipes for traditional dishes
C) Describing the migration patterns of animals
D) Illustrating hunting techniques
  • 18. What role did Christopher Columbus play in American myth?
A) His role was limited to being an explorer of the Atlantic.
B) He is credited with discovering the United States.
C) He was primarily known for his writings on exploration.
D) He is seen as a heroic figure representing America's self-perception.
  • 19. Who popularized Columbus' life as a romantic figure?
A) George Bancroft
B) Washington Irving
C) Christopher Columbus himself
D) Jeremy Belknap
  • 20. Did Christopher Columbus ever set foot in what is now the United States?
A) Yes, he founded several colonies.
B) Only after establishing settlements in the Caribbean.
C) He visited briefly during his second voyage.
D) No, he never did.
  • 21. How was Columbus portrayed by early American historians like Irving and Bancroft?
A) As someone who misunderstood his discoveries.
B) As a noble explorer guided by God to reach the New World.
C) As an ordinary navigator with no significant impact.
D) Primarily as a failed adventurer.
  • 22. How did the view of Columbus as a genius dependent on monarchical goodwill affect his image?
A) He was seen as irrelevant to America's founding myths.
B) Columbus was viewed as a failed leader.
C) He became a lauded revolutionary figure.
D) His reputation was diminished among American settlers.
  • 23. What was Jamestown's first winter known as?
A) The 'Starving Time'
B) The 'Great Drought'
C) The 'Famine Winter'
D) The 'Harsh Winter of 1609-1610'
  • 24. In what year did William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims found Plymouth Colony?
A) 1619
B) 1630
C) 1620
D) 1607
  • 25. How many years after the Pilgrims' landing was the first written reference to Plymouth Rock?
A) 121 years
B) 200 years
C) 50 years
D) 75 years
  • 26. Who helped the Pilgrims survive through their first winter in America?
A) Spanish explorers
B) Captain John Smith
C) The Powhatan tribe
D) Friendly Native Americans, including Squanto
  • 27. What is the holiday of Thanksgiving said to have begun with?
A) Native American harvest festivals
B) The Pilgrims in 1621
C) Colonial governors' celebrations
D) British settlers in Jamestown
  • 28. What is George Washington often referred to as in American folklore?
A) "Pater Patriae"
B) "The Great Liberator"
C) "The First Patriot"
D) "The Father of Democracy"
  • 29. Who is credited with spreading the cherry tree story in a personalized form?
A) Mark Twain
B) Benjamin Franklin
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) Abraham Lincoln
  • 30. What famous phrase did Patrick Henry end his speech with?
A) "I have a dream."
B) "Ask not what your country can do for you."
C) "We shall fight on the beaches."
D) "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!"
  • 31. Who was responsible for reconstructing Patrick Henry's speech using oral histories?
A) William Wirt
B) John Adams
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) James Madison
  • 32. Which other Revolutionary War figure is known for a famous ride to warn of British troops?
A) Benjamin Franklin
B) Nathan Hale
C) Paul Revere
D) John Hancock
  • 33. Which setting is commonly associated with American tall tales?
A) Medieval Europe
B) The Industrial Revolution
C) Ancient Greece
D) The American Old West
  • 34. Which U.S. House did Davy Crockett represent?
A) Tennessee
B) Texas
C) Mississippi
D) Kentucky
  • 35. Who did Calamity Jane claim to be an acquaintance of?
A) Wild Bill Hickok
B) Daniel Boone
C) Buffalo Bill Cody
D) Davy Crockett
  • 36. Who was the first child born in the Americas to English parents?
A) Virginia Dare
B) Ann Lee
C) Ananias White Dare
D) Eleanor White Dare
  • 37. In which film does King Kong climb to the top of the Empire State Building?
A) Sleepless in Seattle
B) King Kong (1933)
C) An Affair to Remember
D) Appalachian Spring
  • 38. What is the name of the area in Vermont where a number of people went missing between 1945 and 1950?
A) Monument Valley
B) Bennington Triangle
C) Hoover Dam
D) Bridgewater Triangle
  • 39. What was Calamity Jane's real name?
A) Sarah Johnson
B) Elizabeth Brown
C) Martha Jane Canary
D) Mary Ellen Smith
  • 40. What is the name of Paul Bunyan's younger brother?
A) Pecos Bill
B) Babe the Blue Ox
C) Johnny Kaw
D) Cordwood Pete
  • 41. What nickname was given to women who carried water to men on the battlefield?
A) Water Wagon Woman
B) Frontline Florence
C) Battle Belle
D) Molly Pitcher
  • 42. Who founded the Shaker religious sect?
A) Loren Coleman
B) Ann Lee
C) Joseph Brackett
D) John White
  • 43. What is the Nain Rouge associated with?
A) Southern New Jersey.
B) Detroit, Michigan folklore.
C) Northern Wisconsin.
D) The Great Lakes region.
  • 44. Which creature is described as having glowing red eyes and bird-like wings?
A) The Jersey Devil
B) Champ
C) Mothman
D) Bigfoot
  • 45. What did slaves develop from the hymns they learned?
A) Blues and jazz
B) Recreational songs
C) Negro spirituals
D) Work songs
  • 46. What is unique about the authors of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'?
A) Neither had attended a baseball game before writing it
B) It was written during a World Series
C) Both were professional baseball players
D) The song was originally for a football match
  • 47. Which creature is said to inhabit the forests of Northern Wisconsin?
A) Mothman
B) The Hodag
C) Bigfoot
D) Champ
  • 48. What did John Henry race against according to legend?
A) A steam-powered hammer
B) Another steel-driver
C) A horse-drawn carriage
D) A locomotive
  • 49. Which cultural icon is associated with the American workforce during World War II?
A) The Statue of Liberty
B) Columbia
C) Uncle Sam
D) Rosie the Riveter
  • 50. What is the name of the main character in 'Rip Van Winkle'?
A) Rip Van Winkle
B) Katrina Van Tassel
C) Ichabod Crane
D) Brom Bones
  • 51. What is a popular song that was often sung as a sea chanty?
A) "Poor Paddy Works on the Railway"
B) "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
C) "Amazing Grace"
D) "The Star-Spangled Banner"
  • 52. When did the New York Times move to its new headquarters, prompting the renaming of Longacre Square?
A) 1933
B) April 1904
C) 1957
D) 1993
  • 53. Which legendary figure is known for predicting the arrival of spring?
A) Paul Bunyan
B) Captain Stormalong
C) Johnny Kaw
D) Punxsutawney Phil
  • 54. Which century did immigrants from the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany, and France begin arriving in large numbers?
A) 19th century
B) 16th century
C) 18th century
D) 17th century
  • 55. What was John Henry's job as a railroad worker?
A) Train conductor
B) Station master
C) Railroad engineer
D) Steel-driving man
  • 56. What is the Bridgewater Triangle known for?
A) Alleged paranormal phenomena
B) Historical landmarks
C) Cultural festivals
D) Folk dances
  • 57. What did African slaves bring with them to the United States?
A) European instruments
B) Religious texts
C) Native American artifacts
D) Musical traditions
  • 58. What are some of the names Santa Claus is known by?
A) Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost
B) Krampus, Père Noël
C) Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas
D) Babbo Natale, Joulupukki
  • 59. Where is the Liberty Bell located?
A) New York City, New York
B) Boston, Massachusetts
C) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
D) Washington D.C.
  • 60. Where was Washington Irving living when he wrote 'Rip Van Winkle'?
A) Boston
B) Philadelphia
C) Birmingham, England
D) New York City
  • 61. 'Oh My Darling, Clementine' is about a tragedy during which historical event?
A) World War II
B) American Revolutionary War
C) Civil War
D) 1849 California Gold Rush
  • 62. Who was Casey Jones?
A) An engineer for the Illinois Central Railroad
B) A famous inventor
C) A gold miner
D) A Civil War general
  • 63. Which of these is not a subject matter classification for American folk songs?
A) Classical compositions
B) War songs
C) Train songs
D) Drinking songs
  • 64. Which group of workers was prominently involved in the construction of the Empire State Building?
A) Mohawk ironworkers
B) Bridgewater Triangle residents
C) Roanoke colonists
D) Shakers
  • 65. What is the name of the fictional character in 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'?
A) Brom Bones
B) Katrina Van Tassel
C) Ichabod Crane
D) The Headless Horseman
  • 66. What type of dance is the square dance descended from?
A) Tango
B) Quadrille
C) Waltz
D) Foxtrot
  • 67. What is the most famous account of Bigfoot known as?
A) The Silver Bridge Incident.
B) The Champlain Chronicle.
C) The Rhinelander Report.
D) The Patterson-Gimlin film.
  • 68. Who is generally believed to have been Molly Pitcher?
A) Mary Hays
B) Sybil Ludington
C) Phyllis Wheatley
D) Margaret Corbin
  • 69. Which song shares melodic material with the Irish anti-war song 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye'?
A) 'The Star-Spangled Banner'
B) 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'
C) 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home'
D) 'Oh My Darling, Clementine'
  • 70. Which ballet score features the Shaker tune 'Simple Gifts' in its finale?
A) King Kong
B) Appalachian Spring
C) An Affair to Remember
D) Sleepless in Seattle
  • 71. What did masters disapprove of in industrious slaves?
A) Singing and dancing
B) Attending church services
C) Crafting items
D) Learning European music
  • 72. Which mythical creature is said to inhabit Lake Champlain and has over 300 reported sightings?
A) Champ
B) Bigfoot
C) The Jersey Devil
D) Mothman
  • 73. Which type of hymns became a feature at camp meetings in the South?
A) Protestant hymns
B) Work songs
C) Negro spirituals
D) Recreational songs
  • 74. How many stories does the Empire State Building have?
A) 34
B) 102
C) 200
D) 40
  • 75. What kind of creature is Old Black Eyes according to legend?
A) A spectral hound that frequents the Baker Rocks.
B) A giant bird with fiery eyes.
C) A mischievous forest sprite.
D) A water spirit haunting lakes and rivers.
  • 76. What did Negro spirituals primarily express?
A) Religious faith
B) Joyful celebrations
C) Work coordination
D) European music styles
  • 77. Which original Thirteen Colony's culture heavily influenced American folk music?
A) English
B) Dutch
C) Spanish
D) French
  • 78. In which year was 'Simple Gifts' composed by Elder Joseph Brackett?
A) 1587
B) 1944
C) 1933
D) 1848
  • 79. What is the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress known for?
A) A fighter aircraft used in World War II
B) A passenger airliner developed in the 1950s
C) Being a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber
D) An experimental spacecraft
  • 80. Who was the first prominent scholar to study distinctly American folk music?
A) Woody Guthrie
B) Alan Lomax
C) Burl Ives
D) Robert Winslow Gordon
  • 81. When did the American folk music revival begin?
A) 1940s
B) 1960s
C) 1930s
D) 1950s
  • 82. What is the Colt Single Action Army known as?
A) The 'Liberty Bell'
B) The 'Smokey Bear'
C) The 'Peacemaker'
D) The 'Flying Tiger'
  • 83. Which event is associated with the Boston Tea Party?
A) The signing of the Declaration of Independence
B) Paul Revere's Ride
C) A protest against British taxation without representation
D) The Battle of Bunker Hill
  • 84. What was Times Square formerly known as?
A) Hoover Dam
B) Empire State Building
C) Pearl Harbor
D) Longacre Square
  • 85. Who is generally attributed with writing "A Visit from St. Nicholas"?
A) Washington Irving
B) Mark Twain
C) Charles Dickens
D) Clement Clarke Moore
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