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Wyoming - My Home State Trivia Quiz

I was born in Rock Springs, Wyoming. While I only spent my first six years there, I have always had an odd pride of being from this rugged, independent, self-reliant state.

A multiple-choice quiz by MicjealS. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
MicjealS

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
357,127

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
290

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. How did the land now known as the state of Wyoming come to be the property of the United States? Hint

It was ceded to the US by Great Britain as part of the treaty ending the War of 1812

Andrew Jackson won it from a Spanish Grandee in a card game

Most of what is now Wyoming was part of the vast Louisiana Purchase acquired from France

It was acquired from the Cheyenne Indian tribe in trade for northern Arizona

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Question 2 of 10

2. When was the Territory of Wyoming established and what was the approximate non-native population at that time? Hint

1869; 9000

1842; 45,000

1857; 35,000

1893; 123,000

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Question 3 of 10

3. When did Wyoming become a state and what was the approximate non-native population at that time? Hint

1902; 257,000

1867; 75,000

1890; 63,000

1872; 153,000

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Question 4 of 10

4. If you head south out of Cheyenne on Interstate 25 and drive a hundred miles, where are you? Hint

Salt Lake City, Utah

Taos, New Mexico

Casper, Wyoming

Denver, Colorado

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Question 5 of 10

5. If you drive on Highway 26 westbound out of Riverton, as you cross Togwotee pass at 9658 feet what do you see before you? Hint

The Teton Mountains rising out of the Jackson Valley

Yellowstone National Park

The sweeping plains of Eastern Idaho

The Platte River Valley

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Question 6 of 10

6. If you are driving on Interstate 80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs, you will cross the continental divide at South Pass. What do you see as you go through this pass? Hint

A thick forest

Majestic snow capped Rocky Mountains on either side

Just flat land, left, right, forward and behind

A narrow cannon with high walls

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Question 7 of 10

7. In Northeastern Wyoming there is a striking rock formation known as Devil's Tower. In what classic science fiction movie did this formation play a major role? Hint

The desert scenes from Star Wars - Episodes 1, 4 and 6

Dune - enough said

The airbase in Independence Day

Site of the alien landing in Close Encounters of the Third Kind

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Question 8 of 10

8. Rock Springs is my home town. While there are a number of "special" things about the place, what was the key feature that made it so important to the Union Pacific railroad in the 1930s? Hint

Large fresh fruit groves providing a big market for rail shipments east

Oil refinery for their diesel powered locomotives

Large, easily extracted deposits of coal

Extensive cedar forests for railroad ties

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Question 9 of 10

9. Wyoming has a number of important "extractive" industries such as coal, oil, and uranium. They also have the world's largest deposits of what other wealth from the ground? Hint

Gold

Iron ore

Dilithium

Trona

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Question 10 of 10

10. What is unique about the Wyoming car license plates? Hint

Everyone gets to pick their own favorite number

The first digit is code for the county the car is registered in

Cars registered to men get 1 as the first number, women get 2, join ownerships gets 3, commercial gets 4, and government gets 5

Nothing special, they are just like any other state

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How did the land now known as the state of Wyoming come to be the property of the United States?

Answer: Most of what is now Wyoming was part of the vast Louisiana Purchase acquired from France

The maps showing the extent of the Louisiana Purchase include all but the southwest corner of the modern state. I do love the image of Andrew Jackson winning it in a card game. In his youth, he was quite a gambler and a pretty wild character.

2. When was the Territory of Wyoming established and what was the approximate non-native population at that time?

Answer: 1869; 9000

Geographically, Wyoming is a pretty tough place to live. It was even tougher in the mid-1800, so there were not a lot of settlers.

3. When did Wyoming become a state and what was the approximate non-native population at that time?

Answer: 1890; 63,000

With the exception of Alaska, Wyoming has historically had the least population density of any state. It has a lot of lonely country.

4. If you head south out of Cheyenne on Interstate 25 and drive a hundred miles, where are you?

Answer: Denver, Colorado

It is a pretty straight shot. It is, however, a bit of a culture shock to find yourself in a big modern city after the much less cosmopolitan feel of Cheyenne.

5. If you drive on Highway 26 westbound out of Riverton, as you cross Togwotee pass at 9658 feet what do you see before you?

Answer: The Teton Mountains rising out of the Jackson Valley

Most mountains seem to be built on hills or smaller mountains. The Tetons appear to just spring up from the valley. Your first sight as you come over the pass is spectacular.

6. If you are driving on Interstate 80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs, you will cross the continental divide at South Pass. What do you see as you go through this pass?

Answer: Just flat land, left, right, forward and behind

It is tough, dry, unforgiving country, but there is a reason the Oregon Trail, the Union Pacific Railroad, and the Interstate take this route. If there wasn't a sign telling you that you had crossed the divide, there would be nothing to give you a clue.

7. In Northeastern Wyoming there is a striking rock formation known as Devil's Tower. In what classic science fiction movie did this formation play a major role?

Answer: Site of the alien landing in Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Devil's Tower is a huge column of rock. The aliens put the image of this unique formation into the minds of people they had interacted with so as to tell them where to meet.

8. Rock Springs is my home town. While there are a number of "special" things about the place, what was the key feature that made it so important to the Union Pacific railroad in the 1930s?

Answer: Large, easily extracted deposits of coal

At the time, all trains were steam powered and fueled by coal. A large source of high quality coal available in shallow mines essentially right next to their tracks provided a great fueling station in the middle of the country. The 1930s were tough times in America. My dad, working as a miner provided for himself, his widowed mother, and two younger sisters and still bought a band new 38 Ford.

9. Wyoming has a number of important "extractive" industries such as coal, oil, and uranium. They also have the world's largest deposits of what other wealth from the ground?

Answer: Trona

When I tried to telling some of my friends about Trona, they kidded me suggesting I really meant Dilithium for powering starships. Trona is sodium carbonate, and is important in the manufacture of glass and a wide array of chemical processes. It is not as big as coal or oil, but it is as significant contributor to the state economy.

10. What is unique about the Wyoming car license plates?

Answer: The first digit is code for the county the car is registered in

Rock Springs is in Sweetwater county, number four. On the rare occasion I see a county four Wyoming plate I get the urge to flag them down and ask them if they know any of my cousins who still live there.

Source: Author MicjealS

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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