Test your
knowledge
of Mesa Verde
1. Mesa Verde National Park was established in 1906. When were the ruins “discovered”? a) 1874
b) 1888 c) 1892
2. The Cliff Palace is the largest of the cliff dwellings. How big is it? a) as large as a city block b) as long as a football field c) about the size of a school gymnasium
3. About how many archaeological sites have been found in the park? a) 74 b) 649 c) 4,000
4. The park encompasses some 57,000 acres of federally owned land. What size is that in relation to Rocky Mountain National Park? a) one-fifth b) one-third c) two-thirds
5. Ancestral puebloans occupied the Mesa Verde area for about 750 years, from roughly 600 A.D. to 1300 A.D. Why did they leave? a) drought b) war c) religious reasons d) possibly all of the above
6. Square Tower House was originally named a) Peabody House b) Wetherill Manor c) Chapin Chapel
7. The first white man to enter a cliff dwelling was a) a rancher b) a prospector c) a photographer
8. The largest structures were typically built in rock alcoves facing a) north, thus providing shade b) south and east, to capture the sun’s warmth in winter c) west, to gain the maximum amount of daylight
9. The earliest inhabitants of the Mesa Verde region are known to have been excellent a) basketmakers b) potters c) masons d) all of the above
10. Mesa Verde gets about a half-million visitors per year. How popular is it compared with Rocky Mountain National Park? a) much less popular b) somewhat more popular c) just about as popular
ANSWERS 3F
