Mississippi River Quiz For Kids
A Mississippi River Quiz for Kids? Bring it on.
The Mississippi River is the best-known river in our nation. Why is this so? Books have been written on it, and songs have been sung about it. It could be because it cuts right through the heartland of the U.S. Maybe the river has a great PR agent? Or, perhaps it has something to do with its length, beauty, or importance in the United States.
To demonstrate your Mississippi River knowledge or learn more about the Mighty Mississippi, take the test below.
Take this Mississippi River Quiz To Test Your Knowledge
1.) What sport was invented on the Mississippi River?
A. Snorkeling
B. Kayaking
C. Water Skiing
D. Water Polo
ANSWER: C.) Water Skiing. 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson invented water skiing on Lake Winnibigoshish—a widening of the Mississippi River.
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2.) How many U.S. states does the river flow through?
A. 5
B. 8
C. 10
D. 14
ANSWER: C.) 10 States including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
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3.) How long does it take for water to flow the entire length of the river?
A. Two days
B. One week
C. One month
D. Three Months
ANSWER: D.) Three months. The Mississippi River begins from Latke Itasca in Minnesota and flows through to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. That’s a long way, and it’s not as a bird flies. No, the Mississippi River meanders along its course, so it takes about three months or about 90 days to go from top to bottom.
4.) What famous author was a steamboat captain for four years on the Mississippi River?
A. Mark Twain
B. Ernest Hemingway
C. John Steinbeck
D. Edgar Allan Poe
ANSWER: A.) Mark Twain. In addition to writing Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Twain wrote Life on the Mississippi about his time spent as a steamboat pilot. Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain’s real name, adopted “Mark Twain” from steamboat terminology. It means “Mark Number Two,” which signified two fathoms or 12 feet, a safe depth for his steamboat.
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5.) True or False: The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States.
ANSWER: False. The Missouri River is about 100 miles longer than the Mighty Mississippi.
Mississippi River Trivia
You’re halfway through – or, if you were traveling on the river from its source – you’ve made it to St. Louis.
6.) True or False: Sharks have been caught in the Mighty Mississippi.
ANSWER: True. At least two sharks have been caught in the big river since the late 1930s.
7.) What color best describes the Mississippi River?
A. Blue
B. Brown
C. Green
D. Gray
ANSWER: B.) Brown. The river picks up its brownish hue from sediments like clay, silt, sand, and other elements found in the water.
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8.) What does the word “Mississippi” mean in Ojibwe?
A. Clear water
B. Brown river
C. Ancient water
D. Great river
ANSWER: D.) Great river. The French rendering of the Ojibwe name for the river “misi-ziibi” gives us Mississippi.
9.) What has four “eyes” but cannot see?
ANSWER: Mississippi! (Ok, it’s a different type of “I.”)
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10.) Which state has the largest population of all the states located along the Mississippi River?
A. Missouri
B. Kentucky
C. Texas
D. Illinois
ANSWER: Illinois.
Mississippi River frequently asked questions
The Mississippi River is 2,320 miles from beginning to end.
The river is at its deepest of 200 feet deep at Algiers Point in New Orleans, Lousiana.
At its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the river is only 18 inches deep.
The river is at its widest of 11 miles wide at Lake Winnibigoshish.
Between the quiz and the FAQs, we hope you’ve expanded your knowledge.
By Greg Johnson and Mike O’Halloran
Greg and Mike are the cofounders of ListCaboodle.
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