Exploring Alabama Trivia Quiz

Answer: boll weevil

The city erected a monument to the boll weevil, an insect which arrived in Coffee County in 1915 and destroyed the local cotton crop, which was the main agricultural product of the region. The farmers were forced to diversify, and in just two years Coffee County was the largest producer of peanuts in the United States. Further crop diversity helped stabilize their economy.

The monument was put up in 1919, perhaps the only monument in the world to an agricultural pest.

Answer: star blue quartz

Blue quartz gets its color from inclusions of other minerals. Occasionally they will form a a star-like shape inside. The star blue quartz was named Alabama's state gemstone in 1990.

Answer: Montgomery

Montgomery is the capital of Alabama. It was incorporated in 1819. It is the second largest city in the state. It became the state capital in 1846. It is home to Maxwell Air Force Base and the yearly Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Answer: prehistoric human remains

It is estimated that people inhabited Russell Cave as long as ten-thousand years ago. It made a good winter shelter because the water inside never froze. The people of the time used flint found near the cave to make spear points and made fishing hooks out of bone. The cave became a National Monument in 1961.

Answer: camellia

The camellia has been the state flower of Alabama since 1959; previously the goldenrod had the honor. The Camellia japonica L. (also called the winter rose) has been the specific state flower since 1999.

Answer: Cheaha Mountain

The Creek Indians named the mountain "Chaha", meaning high place. It is 2,411 ft/735 m tall, but is said to appear taller because the land to the west is very low. There is also a state park at the top of the mountain.

Answer: meteorite impact

A 1,000 foot/300 meter-wide meteorite hit Wetumpka, Alabama about 80 million years ago. It caused a crater almost 5 mi/8 km wide. It is listed as the 157th confirmed meteorite impact crater on planet Earth.

Answer: Humid subtropical

Humid subtropical climates are generally found between 20° and 40° north and south of the equator. Temperatures usually stay above 70°F/21°C most of the year but cool down for a few months of mild winter. Alabama is one of a few U.S. states with this climate type.

Answer: Rocket City

Huntsville got the moniker "Rocket City" from the Marshall Space Flight Center which built the Saturn rockets for the Apollo moon missions and for its work on the space shuttle program and design and assembly work for the International Space Station. It is a civilian agency associated with the U.S. Army's nearby Redstone Arsenal.

There are several other space-related companies in and around Huntsville.

Answer: hematite

Hematite, or haematite, is an iron oxide (Fe2O3) that is crystalline in structure and is the main iron ore. The Alabama Legislature named it the state mineral in 1967.