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