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Nez Perce History Trivia Quiz

Try your knowledge of U.S. and Native American History on this brain teaser about the Nez Perce Indian Tribe, who in 1877 outwitted the U.S. Cavalry! Be careful how you answer!

A multiple-choice quiz by suncatcher. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
suncatcher

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
26,304

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
16 / 25

Plays
4124

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 129 (11/25), calmdecember (8/25), Guest 66 (0/25).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Who was the most famous Nez Perce Chief? Hint

Chief Joseph

Geronimo

Sitting Bull

Red Cloud

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Question 2 of 25

2. What does Nez Perce mean? Hint

Mountain

Pierced Nose

Flowing Stream

Wild Horse

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Question 3 of 25

3. What does the Nez Perce chief's Native-American name Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt mean? Hint

Free Bird

Wild Horses

Thunder Rolling Down The Mountain

Running Deer

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Question 4 of 25

4. What famous explorers were wintered and re-supplied by the Nez Perce? Hint

Columbus and DaGama

Lewis and Clark

Diaz and Cortez

Magellan and Vespucci

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Question 5 of 25

5. What was the name of the valley where one band of the Nez Perce tribe lived? Hint

Wallowa Valley

New River Valley

Ohio Valley

Red River Valley

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Question 6 of 25

6. What breed of horse are the Nez Perce noted for creating? Hint

Arabian

Mustang

Appaloosa

Black Stallions

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Question 7 of 25

7. Through what now-states did the Nez Perce travel through on their flight from the Cavalry (including where they started)? Hint

Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana

Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma

Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee

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Question 8 of 25

8. How many miles did the Nez Perce travel in four months before being forced to surrender? (approximate) Hint

1,500

3,500

500

200

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Question 9 of 25

9. What were the names of the main general and colonel chasing the Nez Perce tribe? Hint

Gen. McClelland and Col. Klink

Gen. U.S. Grant and Col. George Custer

Gen. Oliver Howard and Col. Nelson Miles

Gen. Sherman and Col. Mustard

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Question 10 of 25

10. Where were the Nez Perce hoping to flee to? Hint

Canada

South America

Mexico

Texas

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Question 11 of 25

11. What chief and tribe did the Nez Perce want to unite with? Hint

Geronimo and the Apache

Sitting Bull and the Sioux

Tecumseh and the Shawnee

Sequoyah and the Cherokee

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Question 12 of 25

12. How far from their intended goal were the Nez Perce when they were forced to surrender? Hint

80 Miles

100 Miles

40 Miles

500 Miles

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Question 13 of 25

13. Besides pursuing the Nez Perce what other accomplishments was the General of the chasing U.S. Cavalry noted for? Hint

Civil War General and Senator

Frontiersman and Congressman

Teacher and U.S. President

Outspoken advocate for freed slaves and founded Howard University

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Question 14 of 25

14. In which Civil War battle did General Howard lose his right arm? Hint

Shiloh

Bull Run

Gettysburg

Fair Oaks

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Question 15 of 25

15. Where did the Nez Perce suffer their greatest loss of life in a single battle? Hint

Camas Meadow, Idaho

Yellowstone, Wyoming

Snake River Canyon

Big Hole Basin, Montana

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Question 16 of 25

16. Where did the Nez Perce surrender? Hint

Bear Paw Mountains, Montana

Wallowa Valley, Oregon

Lapwai, Idaho

Camas Meadows, Idaho

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Question 17 of 25

17. Which leader accepted the surrender of the Nez Perce? Hint

Colonel Nelson Miles

General Gibbon

General Oliver Howard

General George Custer

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Question 18 of 25

18. What is the last line of the Nez Perce chief's famous surrender speech? Hint

'I shall return.'

'We will be back'

'It is over.'

'From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.'

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Question 19 of 25

19. How many men surrendered with the Nez Perce? Hint

150

200

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Question 20 of 25

20. Where were the Nez Perce taken after the surrender? Hint

Oregon

Indian Territory in present day Oklahoma

Idaho

Florida

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Question 21 of 25

21. To whom did the Nez Perce chief plead for the return of his people to their native lands in 1879? Hint

The Supreme Court

Colonel Miles

The Great Spirit

President Rutherford B. Hayes and Congress

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Question 22 of 25

22. Where were most of the Nez Perce returned to after leaving Indian Territory? Hint

Helena, Montana

Camas Meadows

Lapwai, Idaho

They stayed in Indian Territory

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Question 23 of 25

23. Where were Chief Joseph and a number of others sent? Hint

Colville Reservation in Washington State

Lapwai, Idaho

Stayed in Indian Territory

Billings, Montana

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Question 24 of 25

24. What National Park did the Nez Perce pass through on their flight from the Cavalry? Hint

Yosemite

Yellowstone

Zion

Glacier

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Question 25 of 25

25. When Chief Joseph died in 1904 at the Colville Reservation what did the doctor declare as the cause of death on the death certificate? Hint

Old Age

Malaria

A broken heart

Stroke

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 17 2024 : Guest 129: 11/25
Nov 08 2024 : calmdecember: 8/25
Sep 30 2024 : Guest 66: 0/25

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the most famous Nez Perce Chief?

Answer: Chief Joseph

He became chief in 1871 when his father 'Old Joseph' died.

2. What does Nez Perce mean?

Answer: Pierced Nose

It's French!

3. What does the Nez Perce chief's Native-American name Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt mean?

Answer: Thunder Rolling Down The Mountain

4. What famous explorers were wintered and re-supplied by the Nez Perce?

Answer: Lewis and Clark

They were unable to go through mountains due to winter snows on their return from the Pacific Coast. The Nez Perce also aided them on their final push to the Pacific Ocean.

5. What was the name of the valley where one band of the Nez Perce tribe lived?

Answer: Wallowa Valley

It is in North eastern Oregon.

6. What breed of horse are the Nez Perce noted for creating?

Answer: Appaloosa

These were highly prized horses.

7. Through what now-states did the Nez Perce travel through on their flight from the Cavalry (including where they started)?

Answer: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana

Their trek was a very twisty route and is considered to be one of the greatest accomplishments by many military strategists.

8. How many miles did the Nez Perce travel in four months before being forced to surrender? (approximate)

Answer: 1,500

Considering they had only 200 warriors and over 500 women, children and old people when they started out, this was a major feat.

9. What were the names of the main general and colonel chasing the Nez Perce tribe?

Answer: Gen. Oliver Howard and Col. Nelson Miles

Though they did not always see eye to eye, both later spoke out for the Nez Perce cause and tried to help them return to native lands.

10. Where were the Nez Perce hoping to flee to?

Answer: Canada

11. What chief and tribe did the Nez Perce want to unite with?

Answer: Sitting Bull and the Sioux

Sitting Bull and the Sioux fled to Canada after The Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 where Gen. George Custer was killed.

12. How far from their intended goal were the Nez Perce when they were forced to surrender?

Answer: 40 Miles

They had pushed so hard. They were tired, cold and starving. Some did manage to make it across the border. The Chief surrendered out of compassion for his suffering people.

13. Besides pursuing the Nez Perce what other accomplishments was the General of the chasing U.S. Cavalry noted for?

Answer: Outspoken advocate for freed slaves and founded Howard University

General Oliver Otis Howard was a very outspoken leader of reconstruction and in the fight for equal rights for freed slaves.

14. In which Civil War battle did General Howard lose his right arm?

Answer: Fair Oaks

Howard fought in several of these and a few more even after recovering from his wounds.

15. Where did the Nez Perce suffer their greatest loss of life in a single battle?

Answer: Big Hole Basin, Montana

Thinking the soldiers were several days behind, Joseph paused to allow his people to rest. They were surprised by a pre-dawn ambush by an intercepting Cavalry unit. They were able to regain control and managed again to evade capture but with heavy loses, mostly women, children and old people.

16. Where did the Nez Perce surrender?

Answer: Bear Paw Mountains, Montana

In bitter cold and snowy weather the Chief walked out and surrendered. He gave an impassioned speech on behalf of his people.

17. Which leader accepted the surrender of the Nez Perce?

Answer: Colonel Nelson Miles

Howard had fallen behind and arrived after the final battle had begun. Miles surrounded the Nez Perce and achieved the capture and surrender. Joseph surrendered on October 5, 1877.

18. What is the last line of the Nez Perce chief's famous surrender speech?

Answer: 'From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.'

After the surrender the Nez Perce were given food and blankets.

19. How many men surrendered with the Nez Perce?

Answer: 87

They only had about 200 men when the journey began. Only 87 survived. Joseph was the only Chief left. Among the loses were his brother who died in the final conflict. 750 people had begun the trek, 120 died, 150 were wounded, 87 men, 184 women and 147 children surrendered. 180 whites died in the war.

20. Where were the Nez Perce taken after the surrender?

Answer: Indian Territory in present day Oklahoma

These mountain people were taken to hot Indian Territory. Many of the war survivors died from Malaria and homesickness, thus depleting the tribe even more.

21. To whom did the Nez Perce chief plead for the return of his people to their native lands in 1879?

Answer: President Rutherford B. Hayes and Congress

Both Miles and Howard also pleaded on behalf of the Nez Perce, but the Nez Perce were permanently exiled from their beloved Wallowa Valley in Oregon.

22. Where were most of the Nez Perce returned to after leaving Indian Territory?

Answer: Lapwai, Idaho

They were sent to the Nez Perce Reservation in Lapwai, Idaho.

23. Where were Chief Joseph and a number of others sent?

Answer: Colville Reservation in Washington State

Because of some grudges still held in Idaho toward Joseph and his people, he and about 150 others were exiled to the Colville Reservation in Washington State.

24. What National Park did the Nez Perce pass through on their flight from the Cavalry?

Answer: Yellowstone

The tribe passed right through Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and re-entered Montana. They took several tourists hostage briefly but released them unharmed on Joseph's orders.

25. When Chief Joseph died in 1904 at the Colville Reservation what did the doctor declare as the cause of death on the death certificate?

Answer: A broken heart

Joseph was allowed to visit his beloved Wallowa Valley one last time late in his life, but was never allowed to live there again.

Source: Author suncatcher

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