Yosemite National Park
California
Black History Month
Love Sayings
February Fun Facts
100
Which large animal, commonly seen in Yosemite, is known for climbing trees and is a key species in the park's ecosystem? (Hint: You see a different color of this animal on the California state flag.)
A: Black bear
B: Mountain lion
C: Gray wolf
D: Elk
A: Black bear
100
Which city is the capital of California?
A: Los Angeles
B: Sacramento
C: San Francisco
D: San Diego
B: Sacramento
100
What iconic sports figure broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball?
a. Jackie Robinson
b. Muhammad Ali
c. Jesse Owens
d. Hank Aaron
a. Jackie Robinson
100
When you’re hopelessly infatuated with someone, you are said to fall head over these in love with them.
What are heels? In other words, you and your stomach flip over this person.
100
Most people do not want this animal to see his shadow on February 2.
What is groundhog? Also known as a woodchuck, the special weather-forecasting groundhog’s proper name is Punxsutawney Phil. If he sees his shadow, legend has it we will see six more weeks of winter. We can expect an early spring if he doesn’t see his shadow.
200
Yosemite is home to which bird of prey that was once endangered but has made a significant comeback thanks to conservation efforts?
A: Peregrine falcon
B: Bald eagle
C: Golden eagle
D: Osprey
A: Peregrine falcon
200
California is known for its rich gold mining history. In what year did the California Gold Rush begin?
A: 1829
B: 1849
C: 1859
D: 1869
B: 1849
200
Who founded the Tuskegee Institute, an African American educational institution, in 1881?
A. W.E.B. Du Bois
B. Booker T. Washington
C. Frederick Douglass
D. George Washington Carver
B. Booker T. Washington
200
This is a first-time get-together with someone you haven't met.
What is a blind date?
Mutual acquaintances like family or friends usually arrange these dates, and despite the misconception, they sometimes lead to long-term relationships.
200
Almost every four years, this affects February.
What is leap year? An extra day is added to February during leap years. Without adding an extra day, the seasons would start drifting earlier. NBC reports that the rule for skipping a leap year is: “If a year is divisible by 100 and not divisible by 400, leap year is skipped.”
300
What species of tree, known for its immense size and longevity, is famously found in Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove?
A: Redwood
B: Sequoia
C: Ponderosa Pine
D: Douglas Fir
B: Sequoia
300
Which iconic California band, formed in Hawthorne in 1961, became known for their hits about surfing, cars, and summer fun?
A: The Beach Boys
B: The Mamas & the Papas
C: The Byrds
D: The Ventures
A: The Beach Boys:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x359:1001x361)/beach-boys-1-ac85df6fc01644bfb2be6890c20671d5.jpg)
300
Who became the first African American to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice?
A: Thurgood Marshall
B: Clarence Thomas
C: Charles Hamilton Houston
D: A. Leon Higginbotham
A: Thurgood Marshall in 1967
300
Finish the phrase, "Make love, not ___."
What is war?
This was the 1960s mantra during the Vietnam War, often accompanied by the peace sign.
300
On Valentine’s Day, many people receive roses of this color.
What is red? Red symbolizes romantic love. If the rose is thorn less, it symbolizes love at first sight.
400
Yosemite’s famous granite cliffs, including El Capitan and Half Dome, were formed by what geological process?
A: Volcanic activity
B: Earthquakes
C: Glacial erosion
D: River sedimentation
C: Glacial erosion
400
Which famous California bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1937?
A: Bay Bridge
B: Golden Gate Bridge
C: Bixby Creek Bridge
D: Vincent Thomas Bridge
B: Golden Gate Bridge
400
What was the name of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional?
A: Plessy v. Ferguson
B: Brown v. Board of Education
C: Loving v. Virginia
D: Dred Scott v. Sandford
B: Brown v. Board of Education
400
When signing off a love letter, if you finish with the letters "XOXO," you are sending these to the recipient.
What are hugs and kisses?
400
Although rare, February is the only month where it is possible not to have this in the night sky.
What is a full moon? If the January full moon falls on January 31, you won’t see the next full moon until the beginning of March.
500
Yosemite is known for a natural phenomenon called the "firefall." What causes this effect?
A: Sunset reflecting on a waterfall
B: Lava flow from an ancient volcano
C: Man-made lighting effects on a cliff
D: Wildfire embers glowing in the dark
A. Sunset reflecting on a waterfall – specifically Horsetail Fall, which glows orange and red in February when the angle of the setting sun aligns with the waterfall
500
What is the official state flower of California?
A: California Poppy
B: Sunflower
C: Rose
D: Mariposa Lily
A: California Poppy
500
In 1955, Rosa Parks made history by refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. How long did the boycott last?
A: 3 months
B: 6 months
C: 9 months
D: Over 1 year
D: Over 1 year (381 days)
500
When you still have feelings for a person even though the relationship ended a long time ago, you are said to carry this.
What is a torch? The phrase to carry a torch first appeared in the 1920s. Some say it was inspired by certain sad love songs, also known as torch songs.
500
This monarch came to the throne on February 6, 1952.
Who is Queen Elizabeth II? Her coronation was held June 2, 1953. She was 27 years old. 
600
Yosemite National Park has a fascinating geological feature called the Devil’s Postpile, which is made of towering columns of basalt rock. According to local myth, what did the columns represent?
A: Stairway to the gods
B: A giant’s playground
C: A dam built by giants
D: A battlefield between spirits
C: A dam built by giants
Native American legends say the basalt columns were remnants of a dam created by giants.
600
Which famous California venue hosted The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and Janis Joplin during the 1960s, solidifying its place in rock history?
A: The Troubadour
B: Whisky a Go Go
C: The Fillmore
D: The Hollywood Bowl
C: The Fillmore
600
Which groundbreaking African American singer broke racial barriers by performing at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 after being denied a performance at Constitution Hall?
A: Ella Fitzgerald
B: Marian Anderson
C: Billie Holiday
D: Mahalia Jackson
B: Marian Anderson (one of her most notable songs being "Deep River")
600
This describes when you can see no faults with your significant other.
What is love is blind? This stage is usually early in the relationship and often doesn’t last long.
600
Which president's birthday was originally celebrated as a federal holiday before Presidents' Day was established?
A. George Washington
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. Abraham Lincoln
D. James Madison
A. George Washington