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