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North Carolina Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
North Carolina Quizzes, Trivia

North Carolina History Trivia

North Carolina History Trivia Quizzes

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9 quizzes and 95 trivia questions.
1.
  First in Flight II- North Carolina History   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a follow up to my first quiz on the fascinating history of North Carolina. All of these events took place during the twentieth century. Good luck!
Tough, 10 Qns, Coonielady, Nov 19 13
Tough
Coonielady
222 plays
2.
  North Carolina History II    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Welcome to the second of my North Carolina History quizes. As with the first, this quiz will be about the people, places, and events in the history of the state of North Carolina.
Average, 10 Qns, F6FHellcat, Feb 05 20
Average
F6FHellcat
Feb 05 20
1249 plays
3.
  Outer Banks of North Carolina    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a place full history and beauty. See how much you know about some of the history of this popular area of the North Carolina coast.
Average, 10 Qns, jpdubl07, May 21 10
Average
jpdubl07
1052 plays
4.
  The Ultimate North Carolina History Quiz   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
An interesting quiz to learn, re-learn or verify that you know the facts about North Carolina's past.
Average, 10 Qns, Dandy28804, Mar 31 10
Average
Dandy28804 gold member
644 plays
5.
  Famous Tar Heels   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This is a quiz about famous people who are connected with North Carolina. Nearly all of them were born here, but a few moved here at an early age or lived a significant portion of their lives here.
Average, 15 Qns, Dandy28804, Feb 14 10
Average
Dandy28804 gold member
518 plays
6.
  First in Flight - North Carolina History   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
North Carolina was the twelfth colony admitted to statehood and has played an important part in American history. This quiz will test your knowledge on the people, places and events that helped shape the "Old North" state.
Tough, 10 Qns, Coonielady, Nov 16 13
Tough
Coonielady
224 plays
7.
  Topsail Island, North Carolina    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Topsail Island is a small barrier island off the coast of North Carolina, located about half way between Wilmington and Jacksonville. Here is a quiz about the island and its history. I hope you enjoy.
Average, 10 Qns, mtscott, Mar 23 20
Average
mtscott
Mar 23 20
405 plays
8.
  What do you know about North Carolina History?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about the people, places, and events from North Carolina.
Tough, 10 Qns, F6FHellcat, Jan 19 12
Tough
F6FHellcat
1050 plays
9.
  Kings Mountain NC    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz about a small historical town, population 10,000, located on the South Carolina-North Carolina state line, 30 miles south of Charlotte . Thousands of people pass through everyday on Interstate 85 going to and from Charlotte and Atlanta.
Tough, 10 Qns, robtamat, Feb 04 12
Tough
robtamat
498 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Roanoke Rapids native Crystal Lee Sutton gained national attention in the 1970s for her leadership in what social movement?

From Quiz "First in Flight II- North Carolina History"




Related Topics
  North Carolina Famous People [People] (2 quizzes)

  North Carolina [Geography] (16 quizzes)


North Carolina History Trivia Questions

1. In 1587, John White returned to England for supplies, leaving a fledgling settlement on Roanoke Island in the area now known as the Outer Banks. What did he find when he returned to the New World three years later?

From Quiz
First in Flight - North Carolina History

Answer: The settlers had simply vanished

The fate of the settlers of Roanoke Island remains a mystery. The word "Croatoan" was carved into a tree, leading some to believe that the colonists voluntarily abandoned the settlement to join a friendly tribe of Native Americans. Others speculate that the unfortunate folks were either captured and murdered or simply starved to death. One local theory is the possibility that the residents relocated to nearby Cedar Island or that John White simply returned to the wrong area and that the settlers were alive and well a few miles away. The story of the Lost Colony lives on in an outdoor drama that is produced every summer on Roanoke Island.

2. What is the name of the oldest town in North Carolina?

From Quiz North Carolina History

Answer: Bath

Bath was established in 1705. The first settlers were French Huguenots from Virginia.

3. In what decade was the first cottage built on the Outer Banks of North Carolina?

From Quiz Outer Banks of North Carolina

Answer: 1830s

In those days, planters from inland counties longed to escape the long, hot and humid summer, which they believed fostered malaria and other diseases. In the 1830s, the first of these plantation owners came to Nags Head and purchased 200 acres of land where he built the very first beach cottage.

4. What happened on December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk?

From Quiz North Carolina History II

Answer: The Wright Brothers made the first flight in an airplane

The Wright Brothers had selected Kitty Hawk as the site to make their attempt at the first powered flight of a heavier than air aircraft. Though they made a failed attempt on the 14th, forcing them to make repairs to the Flyer, just three days later the Flyer would lift off the ground and fly 120 feet in a mere 12 seconds with Orville at the controls. Wilbur and Orville would then take turns flying the Flyer, each flight going farther than that historic first flight. Wilbur's second and final flight of the day lasted 59 seconds during which he traveled 852 feet.

5. What event occurring on May 16, 1771 ended the War of Regulation?

From Quiz North Carolina History

Answer: The Battle of Alamance

The battle was named for the nearby Great Alamance Creek. Royal governor Tryon would lose nine men with another 61 wounded, the number of wounded and killed on the Regulator's side was much higher. After the battle, Governor Tryon took between twelve and fifteen Regulators prisoner, executing between six and seven of these men.

6. What Revolutionary War battle was fought just under ten miles from here?

From Quiz Kings Mountain NC

Answer: Battle of Kings Mountain

The Battle of Kings Mountain which was actually located in York, SC but is named after the nearest major landmark, Kings Mountain.

7. In 1902, a New Bern businessman started a company to market an invention he had created nearly ten years earlier. What is the name of this well known product?

From Quiz First in Flight II- North Carolina History

Answer: Pepsi

New Bern pharmacist Caleb Bradham created "Brad's Drink" in 1893 and served it at the soda fountain in his drugstore. The popular beverage was renamed a few years later, and in 1902, he created the Pepsi-Cola company with hopes of selling the syrup in other areas. A short time later, he began bottling the soft drink and by 1910, there were franchises in over twenty states. Today, the "Pride of the Carolinas" is available in over two hundred countries and its parent company, PepsiCo, markets worldwide favorites such as Quaker cereals, Frito-Lay products and Gatorade.

8. Five people were killed during "The Greensboro Massacre" in 1979, an event which saw members of the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party in a deadly confrontation with which entity?

From Quiz First in Flight - North Carolina History

Answer: The Communist Workers' Party

Attempts by the CWP to organize area workers led to months of acrimony between the party and the Klan and its allies. On November 3, a rally was interrupted by the arrival of several Klansmen. The subsequent gun battle led to the deaths and the arrests of sixteen participants, all who were later acquitted. A civil lawsuit in 1985 awarded $350,000 to the surviving victims.

9. Who was the Governor of the Lost Colony?

From Quiz North Carolina History

Answer: John White

Governor White returned to England for supplies and to report the colony's progress and during this time the colony disappeared. Raleigh's first colony was in 1685-86, the Lost Colony was in 1587. In 1653 some Virginians settled in what is now N.C. and in 1663, King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle in an area south of Virginia and this became known as The Carolinas. Later due to disputes, North and South Carolina were divided 1729.

10. To whom did Queen Elizabeth I issue a charter in 1584 to establish a colony in what is now North Carolina?

From Quiz Outer Banks of North Carolina

Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

This failed attempt to establish a settlement became known as The Lost Colony. Two attempts to settle on Roanoke Island were unsuccessful, with settlers disappearing without trace. It is widely speculated that the Croatan Indians were to blame for the demise of the colony, but just what brought about the unrest will forever remain a mystery. In 1607, settlers at Jamestown, Virginia tried in vain to find the lost colony.

11. John T. Daniels holds a pretty important place in history, though he is probably largely unknown to this day. What's so significant about Mr. Daniels?

From Quiz North Carolina History II

Answer: Took the photo of the Wright Brothers historic flight

Captain John T. Daniels of the Coast Guard was stationed at the Kitty Hawk Lifesaving Station in 1903. Along with fellow members Adam Etheridge and Will Dough of the station, W.C. Brinkley, and Johnny Moore, Daniels was one of five people to witness the brothers historic flight on December 17, 1903. Before he climbed aboard the Flyer for that flight, Orville Wright set up his camera and instructed Captain Daniels to use it "if something intresting happened." He would end up snapping the now famous picture of the brothers' first flight. Until that day Captain Daniels had never used a camera before. Captain Daniels would also find himself taking part in another bit of historic trivia after the fourth and final flight of the day. He attempted to help the brothers prevent the Flyer from being blown away by a gust of wind. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to let go when the plane proved difficult to keep grounded. He ended up being injured as the plane tumbled about, though not seriously. Captain Daniels hailed from Roanoke Island.

12. There is an organization on the island dedicated to preserving the sea turtles. What is it called?

From Quiz Topsail Island, North Carolina

Answer: The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center was founded by Karen Beasley in mid 1980s. Since her untimely death in 1991, her mother Jean Beasley has been running the center. The center has drawn a lot of attention to the sea turtles and each year draws volunteers from across the country.

13. When was this battle fought?

From Quiz Kings Mountain NC

Answer: October 7, 1780

October 17, 1780. The Battle of Kings Mountain has been labeled 'the turning point of the war' in the South.

14. North Carolina lawmakers passed a bill in 1978 that allowed individual counties and cities the option to approve local sales of what item?

From Quiz First in Flight II- North Carolina History

Answer: Liquor by the drink

Prior to the passage of this law, the only alcoholic beverages that were legal for on-site consumption were beer and unfortified wine, with some areas allowing "brown-bagging" in restaurants and private clubs. (Military bases were the lone exception to this law.) The bill did not mandate statewide mixed drink sales, it merely allowed counties and municipalities the right to allow voters to decide for their own areas. Charlotte was the first city to approve sales and most larger cities quickly followed suit, but many smaller towns and rural areas did not. As of 2013, mixed drink sales were still illegal in unincorporated areas of several counties, and one county remained completely alcohol free (dry).

15. Who was the first child of English parents to be born in the New World?

From Quiz First in Flight - North Carolina History

Answer: Virginia Dare

The child of Eleanor and Ananias Dare was among the settlers who disappeared from Roanoke Colony. Her grandfather, John White, returned from England to find the small colony abandoned. "Dare" was popular for baby girls born in the area during the early twentieth century, and Dare County in North Carolina's Outer Banks was named for her.

16. The first English child born in America was born on Roanoke Island in North Carolina in 1587. What was her name?

From Quiz North Carolina History

Answer: Virginia Dare

Virginia Dare was the grand-daughter of Governor John White.

17. In what year did Wilbur and Orville Wright make the first successful power-driven airplane flight near Kitty Hawk?

From Quiz Outer Banks of North Carolina

Answer: 1903

A large monument now stands at the site of this historic event, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions on the Outer Banks. The Wright brothers were originally from Dayton, Ohio, and were owners of a bicycle shop.

18. What massive engineering achievement occured during the summer of 1999 in North Carolina's Outer Banks?

From Quiz North Carolina History II

Answer: The relocation of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

For decades the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse had been threatened by beach erosion. At one point the surf from the Atlantic was coming within 150 feet of the tower, in fact in a December storm in 1994 waves actually reached the base of the tower. Though efforts had been made for years to try and slow this process, they could not prevent it from occuring. In the end the choice was between saving a historic national landmark in a multi-million dollar relocation program or losing it forever. Hatteras was moved, without being taken apart brick by brick, to a point that placed it about 1,600 feet from high tide.

19. According to legend, this town, which became known as an upscale resort around 1830, took its name from the use of horses in some kinds of piracy.

From Quiz North Carolina History

Answer: Nags Head

According to legend, land pirates on what is today known as Nags Head would place a lantern around a nags neck and proceed to walk it up and down the sand dunes. This would give the appearance of a ship riding at anchor in a safe harbor at night. Ships' captains seeing this would then be likely to head towards the light, only to be wrecked on the treacherous shoals. Then the land pirates could recover the salvage from the wreck.

20. In 1996, the island was devastated by two hurricanes that hit within two months of each other. Which were they?

From Quiz Topsail Island, North Carolina

Answer: Bertha and Fran

On July 12, 1996, Hurricane Bertha his the island, followed less than two months later by Fran on September 5. The combination of two powerful storms so close together devastated the inland. The estimated losses from both hurricanes was well over $6 billion. Hazel hit the island in October 1959, Bonnie hit in 1998, and Hurricane Floyd hit 1999.

21. How long did the battle last?

From Quiz Kings Mountain NC

Answer: two or three hours

The battle began at 3pm and was over before nightfall.

22. What 1954 event caused nineteen deaths in North Carolina?

From Quiz First in Flight - North Carolina History

Answer: Hurricane Hazel

After killing approximately 1,000 people in Haiti, Hurricane Hazel made landfall as a Category Four storm near the North and South Carolina state line on October 15. The deadly system cut a path through eastern and central North Carolina before storming up the coast, leaving destruction in its wake and eventually causing over 80 deaths in Canada.

23. In 1799 what was discovered by Conrad Reed in Cabarrus County that would earn his father $3.50?

From Quiz North Carolina History II

Answer: A seventeen pound gold nugget

John Reed, a former Hessian soldier turned North Carolina farmer, took the "yellow stone" to a Fayetteville jewler in 1802 to have it identified. Until that point, the family had been using the "yellow rock", found in Little Meadow Creek, as a doorstop. The jeweler identified the nugget as gold and then bought it from Reed for a mere tenth of a percent its actual value. Reed would return to his farm and the next year start the Reed mining operation, which would result in an estimated $100,000 being unearthed by 1824. The Reed's good fortune would spark the North Carolina gold rush. People from all over the Piedmont Region, as well as from places such as England, were soon mining for gold in North Carolina. The state would be the nation's leader in gold production until the California gold rush began in 1848.

24. February 7-8, 1862 saw the battle of Roanoke Island, which would be a victory for the Union forces. Perhaps more interesting is the commander of the Union forces during the battle, who would become infamous later that same year. Who was it?

From Quiz North Carolina History

Answer: Ambrose Burnside

The Battle of Roanoke Island was the first battle of Burnside's North Carolina Expedition, an expedition that would largely prove successful for Burnside. But this largely unknown campaign would be overshadowed for Burnside by his failure to cross what is now known as Burnside's bridge in a timely fashion at the Battle of Antietam and then his debacle as commander of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Fredricksburg.

25. During the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, this item was in short supply and many people came to the island to produce it. What did they produce?

From Quiz Topsail Island, North Carolina

Answer: Salt

Salt was a valuable commodity in the days before refrigeration. It was used to preserve meat and fish, for personal health and for trading. Up until this time, most of the salt came from Europe. Someone realized that the ocean had salt in it and an industry was born. The salt would be extracted from the sea water by boiling or evaporation. It is hard for us to imagine today something like salt being hard to find or expensive.

26. What British soldier died during the battle?

From Quiz Kings Mountain NC

Answer: Major Patrick Fergusion

Major Patrick Fergusion who was of Scottish origin. His claim to fame was as the inventor of the breechloading rifle. In the battle 228 Loyalists were killed, 163 wounded and 716 taken prisoner,compared to 28 Patriots killed and 63 wounded.

27. Popular for its natural mineral waters, the town of Hot Springs was one of the region's most luxurious resorts until the early twentieth century, when the town's lavish Mountain Park Hotel underwent what change?

From Quiz First in Flight II- North Carolina History

Answer: It became an internment camp for German nationals

Approximately 2,200 civilians were sent to Hot Springs when Congress and President Wilson declared war on Germany in 1917. The detainees, or "enemy aliens" as they were called, spent the remainder of World War I in the camp. Located in the beautiful North Carolina mountains, the town is a modern day destination for those who enjoy hiking, rafting, and sightseeing.

28. In 1766, the colonial capital of North Carolina was moved from Edenton to what city?

From Quiz First in Flight - North Carolina History

Answer: New Bern

The town of New Bern was founded in 1710 by Swiss and German settlers. Due to its close proximity to the Neuse and Trent Rivers, the town thrived and was, for a time, the largest city in North Carolina. Tryon Palace was completed in 1770 and served as headquarters to both the Crown governor and the first seven state governors after the colonies declared independence from British rule. The capital was relocated in 1794 to its current site in Raleigh.

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