Davy Crockett quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What type of story is “Davy Crockett”?

   • Correct answer: Tall Tale
   • Fairy Tale
   • Mystery
   • Science Fiction
   • Fable

   A tall tale mixes real history with wild exaggerations — like killing a bear at age three or riding a lightning bolt. That is exactly what this story does.

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2. 2

   Question 2. Where was Davy Crockett born?

   • On the banks of the Mississippi River in Louisiana
   • In a log cabin in the hills of Kentucky
   • Correct answer: On a mountaintop in Tennessee
   • On the open plains of Texas near the Alamo

   Davy Crockett was born in 1786 on a mountaintop in Tennessee. This is a real historical fact, though storytellers liked to exaggerate just how wild and rugged his birthplace was.

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3. 3

   Question 3. What year was Davy Crockett born?

   • 1776
   • Correct answer: 1786
   • 1800
   • 1836

   Davy Crockett was born on August 17, 1786 — ten years after the American Revolution.

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4. 4

   Question 4. According to the legend, what did Davy do when he was only three years old?

   • Correct answer: Killed a bear with his bare hands in the woods
   • Caught a catfish bigger than a rowboat in the river
   • Rode a wild horse across three states all by himself
   • Wrestled an alligator and won in under a minute

   The famous song says Davy “killed him a b’ar when he was only three.” This is a classic tall-tale exaggeration — it is not historically true, but it shows how fearless and tough people imagined him to be.

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5. 5

   Question 5. Which of these things REALLY happened in Davy Crockett’s life?

   • He rode a lightning bolt all the way to New Orleans
   • He grinned so hard that a bear fell right out of a tree
   • He greased the earth’s axis with bear oil to make it spin again
   • Correct answer: He served three terms in the United States Congress

   Serving in Congress is a historical fact — Davy Crockett was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives three times. The lightning bolt, the grinning bear, and the earth’s axis are all tall-tale exaggerations.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What did Davy Crockett do in Congress that made him stand out?

   • He brought his rifle Old Betsy to every vote and refused to put it down
   • Correct answer: He stood up for settlers and Native Americans against an unfair law
   • He gave a speech so long that every other congressman fell asleep
   • He challenged the President to a bear-wrestling match on the Capitol lawn

   Davy opposed the Indian Removal Act, a real law that forced Native American families off their lands. He stood up for both frontier settlers and Native Americans, even though it was politically risky and eventually cost him his seat.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What does "Hyperbole" mean in this story?

   • A type of wild animal that lives on the American frontier
   • A story that teaches a lesson through talking animals
   • Correct answer: An extreme exaggeration used to make a story more exciting
   • A real historical event written down in exact detail

   Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration for effect. “He killed 105 bears in one winter” and “he grinned down a bear” are examples of hyperbole in the Davy Crockett legend.

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8. 8

   Question 8. What was “Old Betsy”?

   • Correct answer: Davy’s long rifle, his most prized possession
   • Davy’s old hound dog who helped him track bears
   • The name of Davy’s horse on the Tennessee frontier
   • A tall tale about a woman who outwrestled a river pirate

   Old Betsy was the name of Davy Crockett’s long rifle. Frontier hunters often gave their rifles names, treating them like trusted friends. Davy carried Old Betsy on all his adventures.

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9. 9

   Question 9. What is the name of Davy’s legendary wife in the tall tales?

   • Polly Crockett
   • Mary Thunder Whirlwind
   • Correct answer: Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind
   • Betsy Frontier Jones

   In the tall tales and almanacs, Davy’s wife is the wonderfully named Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind — just as fearless and larger-than-life as Davy himself.

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10. 10

    Question 10. According to the legend, what amazing thing did Davy do to save the earth?

    • He wrestled the sun back into the sky after a terrible storm knocked it out
    • Correct answer: He greased the earth’s frozen axis with bear oil so it could spin again
    • He caught a falling comet and threw it back into the night sky safely
    • He built a giant bonfire so large that it melted all the snow on every mountain

    In one famous tall tale, the earth got stuck on its axis during a cold snap. Davy climbed up, poured bear oil on the frozen axis, and got the earth spinning again. This is a great example of hyperbole — an exaggeration so wild it is clearly impossible.

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11. 11

    Question 11. In the bullet-splitting tall tale, what two animals does Davy kill with a single shot?

    • A wolf charging at him and an eagle diving from the sky
    • A rattlesnake coiled at his feet and a mountain lion on a rock
    • Correct answer: A panther creeping up on one side and a bear charging from the other
    • A grizzly bear in front of him and a swarm of hornets behind him

    In this classic Crockett Almanac tale, Davy raises Old Betsy and fires at an axe stuck in a tree stump. The musket ball splits in two on the blade — one half drops the panther on his left, and the other half drops the bear on his right. It is one of the most famous examples of tall-tale hyperbole.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What did the TV show MythBusters discover when they tested the bullet-splitting tale?

    • The tale was completely impossible — a musket ball cannot split
    • A cowboy in Texas once did it with a steel axe in 1887
    • Correct answer: MythBusters tested it in 2009 and said the splitting part really is possible
    • Old Betsy was the only rifle in history strong enough to do it

    In 2009, the show MythBusters tested whether a lead musket ball could really be split in half by a sharp axe blade. They found that while it takes extraordinary luck and skill, the physics actually works — so the tall tale is not as impossible as it sounds.

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13. 13

    Question 13. Why does the story say we still think of coonskin caps when we think of Davy Crockett?

    • Because the coonskin cap was the official hat of all U.S. Congressmen in the 1820s
    • Because every frontier hunter was required by law to wear a coonskin cap
    • Because Davy invented the coonskin cap and sold millions of them himself
    • Correct answer: Because the 1954 Disney TV show made the coonskin cap famous all over again

    The 1954 Disney TV miniseries about Davy Crockett was a huge hit. Children everywhere wanted coonskin caps, and the price of raccoon tails jumped from 25 cents to five dollars a pound. The Disney show turned the coonskin cap into the lasting symbol of Davy’s legend.

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14. 14

    Question 14. How many bears did Davy reportedly kill in a single winter, according to the almanac legends?

    • 12 bears
    • 47 bears
    • Correct answer: 105 bears
    • 300 bears

    The Crockett Almanacs claim Davy killed 105 bears in a single winter. Whether you believe it or not, it became one of the most famous tall-tale numbers in American folklore!

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15. 15

    Question 15. What happened to Davy Crockett at the Alamo in 1836?

    • He led a successful charge that saved the Alamo from the Mexican army
    • He survived the battle and went on to become President of Texas
    • Correct answer: He died fighting alongside other defenders of the Alamo
    • He escaped the Alamo and returned safely to his home in Tennessee

    Davy Crockett died at the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, fighting alongside a small group of Texan defenders against a much larger Mexican army. His death became a symbol of courage, and “Remember the Alamo!” became a famous rallying cry.

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16. 16

    Question 16. Which literary device does the story use MOST when it says Davy “grinned so wide the sun came up an hour early”?

    • Correct answer: Hyperbole — an extreme exaggeration used for effect
    • Simile — a comparison using the words “like” or “as”
    • Metaphor — saying one thing IS another thing entirely
    • Alliteration — repeating the same beginning sound in nearby words

    Hyperbole means an outrageous exaggeration used for humor or emphasis. Davy’s grin making the sun rise early is impossible — that’s the point! Tall tales love hyperbole because it makes heroes seem bigger than life.

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17. 17

    Question 17. What is one of the MAIN ideas or themes of the Davy Crockett story?

    • Wild animals are more dangerous than people and should always be feared
    • Correct answer: Real people can become legends, and legends teach us about real history
    • Politicians should always carry weapons to prove their frontier toughness
    • Bears and other wildlife are the true heroes of the American frontier

    The central theme is that real people can grow into legends — and those legends can teach us real history. Davy was genuinely remarkable, and the tall tales grew from that real core. Understanding both sides helps us appreciate American history and folklore.

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18. 18

    Question 18. Which of these events actually happened in the story?

    • Davy Crockett was born in Tennessee in 1786.

      Happened

      This is real history. Davy was born on August 17, 1786, in what is now Greene County, Tennessee.

    • Davy killed a bear with his bare hands at age three.

      Didn't happen

      This is a tall-tale exaggeration, not a real event. The famous song from the 1954 Disney show invented this story.

    • Davy wore a coonskin cap.

      Happened

      Yes — the coonskin cap is one of Davy’s most famous real-life symbols, though the Disney show made it extra famous.

    • Davy rode a lightning bolt to New Orleans.

      Didn't happen

      This is a tall tale from the Crockett Almanacs — a delightful exaggeration, not a real event.

    • Davy was elected to the United States Congress three times.

      Happened

      True. Davy served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing western Tennessee.

    • Davy greased the earth’s axis with bear oil to make it spin again.

      Didn't happen

      This is a tall tale — a hyperbole so wild it could never really happen. It comes from the Crockett Almanacs.

    • Davy died at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836.

      Happened

      True. Davy Crockett died at the Alamo on March 6, 1836, defending Texas alongside a small group of volunteers.

    • Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind was Davy’s real wife.

      Didn't happen

      Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind is a legendary character from the tall tales — not Davy’s real historical wife.

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