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Quiz about West Virginia History
Quiz about West Virginia History

West Virginia History Trivia Quiz


I was surprised there were no history quizzes on the state where I was born. So here is one!

A multiple-choice quiz by littlepup. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
littlepup
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
383,854
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
447
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: LizzyAllen3420 (7/10), Guest 168 (3/10), polly656 (8/10).
Question 1 of 10
1. West Virginia became a state in the midst of what war? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Who was the first governor of West Virginia? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. What was the first capital of West Virginia? It was also a city where conventions were held to create the state. Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. What political party was West Virginia's first governor? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. What natural resource has West Virginia been most famous for? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Matewan and Blair Mountain are remembered as the site of battles in West Virginia where dozens of people were killed in 1920-1921. The US Army, state police and sheriff fought on one side. Who fought on the other? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In 1977 a well-known high bridge was built in West Virginia, named after the river valley it spanned. What is the bridge called? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What John Denver song was added most recently as West Virginia's state song? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What does the West Virginia state flag look like? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. What is the English translation of West Virginia's state motto, adopted in the 1872 state constitution? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 31 2024 : LizzyAllen3420: 7/10
Oct 30 2024 : Guest 168: 3/10
Oct 25 2024 : polly656: 8/10
Oct 21 2024 : Guest 64: 9/10
Oct 06 2024 : Guest 68: 8/10
Sep 20 2024 : Guest 172: 9/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. West Virginia became a state in the midst of what war?

Answer: Civil War

West Virginia split from Virginia and became a Union State during the Civil War, in a controversial wartime vote.
2. Who was the first governor of West Virginia?

Answer: Arthur Boreman

Boreman was the first governor of West Virginia, after it split off from Virginia. He became governor after Francis Pierpont agreed to give up the western counties, following a vote. Pierpont was the disputed loyal governor of all of Virginia after it seceded. Letcher was governor of secessionist Virginia. Lincoln was president of the U.S. at the time. Breckinridge was the early-war governor of Kentucky, just to the west.
3. What was the first capital of West Virginia? It was also a city where conventions were held to create the state.

Answer: Wheeling

Wheeling, in the northern panhandle, is actually north of the Mason Dixon line. It was the safest place for politicians to meet in Virginia to discuss the formation of a union state. Charleston, near the center of the state, has been the capital since 1877. Charles Town, in the eastern panhandle, received some fame as the place John Brown was tried and hanged. Harpers Ferry, near Charles Town, contained a military arsenal which John Brown tried to capture.
4. What political party was West Virginia's first governor?

Answer: Republican

Arthur Boreman was a Republican, the same as Abraham Lincoln, the current president at that time.
5. What natural resource has West Virginia been most famous for?

Answer: Coal

The country ran on coal in the late 19th century, just when West Virginia had become a state. Railroads and steamboats switched from wood to coal, and later, electric power plants used coal to generate electricity where other sources like rivers weren't available. Coal polluted and caused health problems for miners, but such issues weren't as great a concern in the 19th and early 20th centuries as they are today.
6. Matewan and Blair Mountain are remembered as the site of battles in West Virginia where dozens of people were killed in 1920-1921. The US Army, state police and sheriff fought on one side. Who fought on the other?

Answer: Coal miners

Coal miners fought for unions and better working conditions. Members of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, hired by the Stone Mountain Coal Corporation, were surrounded and several killed in Matewan, WV, and the success led miners to engage in further conflict as they tried to unionize, including at Blair Mountain the next year. That proved to be a victory for the coal companies, and unionization failed until the government helped during the Great Depression.
7. In 1977 a well-known high bridge was built in West Virginia, named after the river valley it spanned. What is the bridge called?

Answer: New River Gorge Bridge

The new River Gorge Bridge in Fayette County, WV has been not only practical for travelers in cars, it's a scenic site by itself. Amtrak trains run below it, white water rafters can see it from the New River, and once a year, the bridge is opened for "BASE jumpers" to parachute off the 876-foot high span.
8. What John Denver song was added most recently as West Virginia's state song?

Answer: Take Me Home, Country Roads

West Virginia had three state songs in 1963, "The West Virginia Hills," "This Is My West Virginia," and "West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home," but the well-loved John Denver song that specifically mentioned the state was too good to pass up, and it has since been made official.
9. What does the West Virginia state flag look like?

Answer: The state coat of arms on a white background

The white background has a narrow blue border and the coat of arms has laurel branches surrounding it, with a red ribbon saying "State of West Virginia," but I hope the brief descriptions were different enough for you to guess. The current flag is surprisingly new, 1962, though the state seal it's based on goes back to the state's founding.

The wrong answers are 'mixed-up' versions based on Ohio, Virginia and South Carolina's flags.
10. What is the English translation of West Virginia's state motto, adopted in the 1872 state constitution?

Answer: Mountaineers are Always Free

"Montani Semper Liberi" is the official Latin version. Fittingly, West Virginia is called the Mountain State, and state residents are nicknamed Mountaineers. There's also an official seal of the governor with a motto in Latin: "Libertas E Fidelitate" meaning "Liberty out of Fidelity".
Source: Author littlepup

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