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South Dakota Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
South Dakota Quizzes, Trivia

South Dakota Trivia

South Dakota Trivia Quizzes

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7 South Dakota quizzes and 85 South Dakota trivia questions.
1.
  Cities/Towns of the Great State of South Dakota    
Collection Quiz
 15 Qns
Can you identify the municipalities that can be found in the U.S. state of South Dakota?
Average, 15 Qns, jcmttt, Mar 23 24
Average
jcmttt gold member
Mar 23 24
396 plays
2.
The Smart State of South Dakota
  The Smart State of South Dakota   popular trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
South Dakota is a midwestern state that is home to wide open expanses of beautiful country. What do you know about the symbols of this state?
Easier, 10 Qns, dcpddc478, Jan 13 19
Easier
dcpddc478
Jan 13 19
245 plays
3.
  Do You Know About South Dakota    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Test your knowledge of the great state of South Dakota!
Average, 15 Qns, DMBfaninSD, Jan 22 08
Average
DMBfaninSD
2058 plays
4.
  Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
South Dakota is a land of diversity in geography, landscapes, and culture.
Easier, 10 Qns, Rehaberpro, Oct 06 15
Easier
Rehaberpro
256 plays
5.
  What Do You Know About South Dakota?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz about the Mount Rushmore State.
Average, 10 Qns, kottonmouth, Aug 02 10
Average
kottonmouth
817 plays
6.
  South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Welcome to South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State, or The Sunshine State!
Average, 15 Qns, Morrigan716, Nov 05 03
Average
Morrigan716 gold member
1673 plays
7.
  South Dakota Knowledge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz should be easy if you live in South Dakota. Good Luck!
Average, 10 Qns, rach_robins, Sep 12 23
Average
rach_robins
Sep 12 23
1365 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What famous TV news anchorman lived in Yankton?

From Quiz "South Dakota Knowledge"




Related Topics
  South Dakota History [History] (1 quizzes)


South Dakota Trivia Questions

1. This the most visited site in South Dakota. The original name of this mountain was "The Six Grandfathers". By what name so we know it today?

From Quiz
Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Mount Rushmore

Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, enjoyed a labor of love carving the faces of four American presidents into the cliffs of this mountain. The project ran from October 4, 1927 to October 31, 1941. The edifice attracts about three million visitors a year. It is now called Mount Rushmore after Charles E. Rushmore, an nineteenth century explorer in the area.

2. In what city is Augustana College located?

From Quiz What Do You Know About South Dakota?

Answer: Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls isn't the capital but it is the largest city in South Dakota. There are many attractions such as the SF Stampede junior hockey team, the basketball team Sky Force and baseball team Canaries, the Empire Mall, and the Sioux Empire Fair where many well-known bands play.

3. What is the capital of South Dakota?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: Pierre & pierre

It's pronounced like peer, not like a French first name.

4. What national park, noted for its rugged landscape, is located in southwestern South Dakota?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park consists of 242,756 acres or 379.306 square miles of wilderness. It encloses the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. There are buttes, pinnacles, and spires, and the largest undisturbed grass prairie in the United States. The park was authorized in 1939 but not established until 1978. During World War Two, the land was leased for military target practice. About 800,000 people visit each year, as parts of the park are near the famous Wall Drug Store.

5. When was South Dakota admitted as a state?

From Quiz What Do You Know About South Dakota?

Answer: 1889

Statehood was granted to South Dakota in 1889. Of the other dates, 1929 was the start of The Great Depression, 1861 was the start of the Civil War, and America wasn't even a country in 1752.

6. In what part of the Black Hills is Spearfish located?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: Northern

7. South Dakota is where buffalo roam. What is the name of the area where you might find them?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Black Hills

The Black Hills were so named as the forested areas on the hills give a black appearance from a distance. The Lakota took it from the Cheyenne. Later it was declared a native American preserve. That declaration only lasted until gold was found in the Black Hills and the area was reclassified. The names of towns in the area are fascinating--Spearfish, Lead, Deadwood, and Sturgis, a motorcycle destination. The buffalo are raised now mostly for their meat.

8. Out of 50, where does South Dakota stand in order of admittance to the Union?

From Quiz What Do You Know About South Dakota?

Answer: 40th

Yep, South Dakota was the 40th state followed by Montana also in 1889 just six days after South Dakota. The 36th was Nevada, 19th was Indiana, and the 17th was Ohio.

9. What is the capital of South Dakota?

From Quiz Do You Know About South Dakota

Answer: Pierre

This is something I never learned until moving to South Dakota...the capital, Pierre, is actually pronounced like a fishing "pier" and not as a French-sounding name. (All those years of elementary and middle school geography and I was saying it incorrectly!)

10. In what city is the famous motorcycle rally held?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: Sturgis

11. In Custer County, South Dakota, arises a massive sculpture depicting what native American legend?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse was a revered person among the Lakota as both a mystic and a warrior. He led the Lakota into many battles and skirmishes both with other tribes and with white settlers. He was the leader of the band made famous at "Custer's Last Stand". He and his followers surrendered to the army with an agreement of peace between them. Crazy Horse still had animosity toward the Nez Perce but this was misinterpreted as a threat to the army and white settlers. He was again arrested and was bayoneted by an army soldier, dying hours later. These are still considered mysterious circumstances today.

12. What 1990 Oscar-winning movie was filmed primarily in South Dakota's Black Hills and plains areas?

From Quiz Do You Know About South Dakota

Answer: Dances With Wolves

Producer/Director and lead actor Kevin Costner was so taken with the area that he bought property in the Hills and continues to vacation here every year.

13. What is South Dakota's state flower?

From Quiz South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State

Answer: American pasqueflower

The pasqueflower is sometimes known as prairie smoke.

14. What direction is Redfield from Aberdeen?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: South

15. South Dakota once had a significant gold mining industry. What is the special name given to gold that was extracted?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Black Hills Gold

Black Hills Gold jewelry utilizes creative designs with grapes, grape leaves and grape stems. For many years, the state of South Dakota copyrighted the term Black Hills Gold as the gold jewelry was made in the Black Hills with gold mined in South Dakota. With the closing of the Homestake Mine in 2003, most of the gold and alloys are outsourced. If you have ever visited the Black Hills, you will have noticed the multiplicity of Black Hills Gold shops.

16. Here's one for the Harley fans! What small South Dakota town hosts a very popular motorcycle rally every August?

From Quiz Do You Know About South Dakota

Answer: Sturgis

Although the town of Sturgis' population is less than 10,000, tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts flock there from all over the world for the annual motorcycle rally.

17. What is the state tree?

From Quiz South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State

Answer: Black Hills spruce

Spruce trees are found mainly in the northern U.S. and Canada, but a few can be found near the Mexican border.

18. Who is the famous author who wrote about pioneer life in the town of DeSmet?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: Laura Ingalls Wilder & Wilder & Laura Wilder

19. Particularly in eastern South Dakota, corn is the dominant crop. Human consumption is not the main purpose but to feed cattle and hogs. What is the name of the building in Mitchell, South Dakota, that was erected to honor this crop?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Corn Palace

The first Corn Place was built in 1904 and it was re-built in 1924. What you see today is complete with Russian-style onion domes and Moorish minarets. Each year, its exterior murals are replaced and redesigned with a new theme by local artists using corn plants as materials. So if you saw it last year, it will look different this year. The Corn Place also serves as a community gathering place for concerts, sports events, exhibits, and other community events.

20. While facing Mount Rushmore's presidential carvings, which president appears furthest to the left?

From Quiz What Do You Know About South Dakota?

Answer: Washington

The order from left to right goes: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and finally Lincoln.

21. What is the state animal?

From Quiz South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State

Answer: Coyote

Coyotes resemble German shepherds and have been known to mate with domestic dogs.

22. What famous TV news anchorman lived in Yankton?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: Tom Brokaw

23. The Oahe Dam near Pierre, South Dakota was completed in 1962 and was dedicated by John F. Kennedy on August 7, 1962. What river does it span?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Missouri

The Oahe Dam was first conceived in the 1944 Flood Control Act but construction did not begin until 1948. Building lasted until 1962 when it began to generate electricity. A side benefit was the creation of an artificial lake stretching 230 miles and making it a prime recreational area. The sad part is that many native Americans were uprooted from their homes by the Army Corp of Engineers. The structure is 245 feet high, and was created by a combination of earth fill (92 million cubic yards) and concrete (1.1 million cubic yards). The lake backs up to Bismarck, North Dakota.

24. What major city in central South Dakota borders the Missouri River?

From Quiz What Do You Know About South Dakota?

Answer: Pierre

Pierre is the only central city listed. Sioux Falls is in southeastern South Dakota, Wall is in western SD, and Rapid City is even further west of Wall.

25. What is South Dakota's state grass?

From Quiz South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State

Answer: Western Wheatgrass

The South Dakota state song is called "Hail, South Dakota" by Deecort Hammitt.

26. How many Indian Reservations are in South Dakota?

From Quiz South Dakota Knowledge

Answer: 8

They are Sisseton-Whahpeton, Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Yankton, Rosebud, and Pine Ridge.

27. What is the South Dakota State Bird which attracts thousands of game bird hunters each year?

From Quiz Forests, Fields, and Sites of South Dakota

Answer: Pheasant

The South Dakota pheasant hunting season lasts from mid-October until the end of the year. Hunting is allowed from noon to sunset. Up to fifteen birds can be harvested, generally restricted to roosters. About 70,000 residents and 100,000 non-residents purchase licenses and harvest between 1.5 to 2.0 million birds. Pheasant hunting season is a great boon for many small town economies in South Dakota.

28. What is South Dakota's state bird?

From Quiz What Do You Know About South Dakota?

Answer: the ring-neck pheasant

Pheasant hunting is one of the most important contributors to tourism in South Dakota. The pheasant is the most common bird you'll see and hear in South Dakota and is easily recognized by its colorful neck and long tails.

29. Which large river flows through South Dakota's capital city and forms part of its southeastern border with Nebraska?

From Quiz Do You Know About South Dakota

Answer: Missouri River

The Missouri River also divides the state's residents into "West River" and "East River" inhabitants.

30. What is the state fish?

From Quiz South Dakota--The Mount Rushmore State

Answer: Walleye

The walleye is a type of perch that is two feet long and sometimes weighs twenty pounds or more.

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:46 AM
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