Happy Pioneer Day! No matter where you live, you can celebrate the pioneers’ sacrifice by learning more about them. Start out with this quiz! Click through the pages to find out the answer to each question!
1. Which famous outdoorsman did Brigham Young get a few tips from?
- Kit Carson
- William Clark
- Jim Bridger
- Daniel Boone
Answer: Jim Bridger. Brigham Young met Bridger and talked with him about the best ways to travel and what they would need to settle the land. Bridger was so convinced that the land couldn’t be settled that he offered to pay $1,000 for the first bushel of corn.
2. What was the number-one killer along the plains?
- Cholera
- Hypothermia
- Starvation
- Diphtheria
Answer: Cholera. This disease accounted for 40 percent of the deaths of those for whom a death cause was listed.
3. How many pioneers were under the age of 20?
- 10%
- 25%
- 45%
- 60%
Answer: 45% of the pioneers were youngsters under the age of 20.
4. Which of these unusual foods did the Mormon settlers eat?
- Sauerkraut
- Quiche
- Oysters
- All of the above.
Answer: All of the above. Settlers were quick to return to their favorite foods, including saurkraut and quiche, after living so long on a basic diet. Oysters were later imported from the East after the completion of the railroad.
5. What is the common label for a street down which pioneers walked following mob oppression, forcing them to leave a city they had built?
- “Street of Tears”
- “Trail of Hope”
- “Pioneer Trail”
- “Trail of Sorrow”
Answer: It is called the “Trail of Hope.” On Feb. 4, 1846, the Saints were driven from their homes in Nauvoo. The day was so cold that the Mississippi River froze over, which allowed them to cross, though in severe weather.
6. True or false: Babies were more likely to die on the trail to Zion than they were staying put in their place of birth.
- True
- False
Answer: False. The infant mortality rate on the plains was 9 percent, while the general infant mortality rate in 1850 was above 15 percent. From 1847 to 1868, Mormon pioneer babies traveling across the Plains were safer—yes, more likely to live—than infants in the general U.S. population, according to a dynamic new study.
7. How long is the Mormon Trail usually considered to be?
- 850 miles
- 1,000 miles
- 1,300 miles
- 1,500 miles
Answer: It’s about 1,300 miles from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Salt Lake City, Utah. How would you like to walk that far?
8. What animal on the trail east of the Rocky Mountains was so numerous that the pioneers had to send advance parties ahead to clear the trail so the teams could pass?
- Bison herds
- Prairie dogs
- Rattlesnakes
- Deer
Answer: Bison. In May 1847, four wagon loads of meat and a feast was secured after the pioneers saw the bison. Originally, the animal had ranged from the Appalachians, but by 1820, they had been killed off east of the Missouri River—200 miles west of where the pioneers found them.
9. Who was the first of Brigham Young’s group to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley?
- George A. Smith
- John Brown
- Joseph Mathews
- John Pack
- Orrin Porter Rockwell
- J. C. Little
- All of the above
Answer: All of the above. George A. Smith, John Brown, Joseph Mathews, John Pack, Orrin Porter Rockwell, J. C. Little were asked to ride ahead and scope out the Salt Lake Valley territory before Brigham Young arrived in the valley on July 24, 1847.
Trek follows a young Mormon teenager named Tom and his friends on their handcart journey. Along the way, they try to smuggle in unsanctioned food, battle sibling rivalry, encounter a "special ops" Young Men leader, match wits with a Twinkie-loving skunk, and ponder doctrinal brain teasers like, "Do General Authorities go to PG-13 movies?" But, when they encounter unexpected trouble, their faith is tested much like that of their pioneer ancestors. Whether you've been on a trek or not, your family will laugh along and ultimately be inspired as you enjoythis delightful film.
