Texas History Test Texas Geography & Natural Resources 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Texas region is characterized by vast grasslands and is sometimes called the 'Staked Plains'?
- Big Bend
- Llano Estacado (Correct answer)
- Coastal Bend
- Red River Valley
Correct answer: Llano Estacado
The Llano Estacado, or Staked Plains, is a large flat tableland in northwestern Texas and eastern New Mexico.
Question 2: What valuable mineral resource was discovered at Spindletop near Beaumont, Texas in 1901?
- Gold
- Silver
- Natural gas
- Oil (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Oil
The Spindletop gusher of January 10, 1901 was the first major oil discovery in Texas, launching the modern petroleum industry.
Question 3: The Balcones Escarpment is a significant geographic feature that roughly divides Texas into which two broad zones?
- North and South Texas
- East and West Texas (Correct answer)
- Coastal and Inland Texas
- Urban and Rural Texas
Correct answer: East and West Texas
The Balcones Escarpment is a fault zone running roughly north-south that separates the humid eastern portion of Texas from the drier western region.
Question 4: Which river, running through Austin, is the longest river with its source and mouth entirely in Texas?
- Trinity River
- Brazos River
- Colorado River (Correct answer)
- Sabine River
Correct answer: Colorado River
The Colorado River of Texas (distinct from the Colorado River in the western U.S.) is the longest river with both its source and mouth entirely within Texas.
Question 5: What type of ecosystem dominates East Texas, giving that region the nickname 'Piney Woods'?
- Grassland prairie
- Desert scrubland
- Temperate rainforest
- Pine and hardwood forest (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Pine and hardwood forest
East Texas is home to extensive pine and hardwood forests, part of the larger Southern Coastal Plain forest ecosystem.
Question 6: Big Bend National Park, one of Texas's most prominent natural landmarks, is located along the border with which country?
- Guatemala
- Canada
- Mexico (Correct answer)
- Cuba
Correct answer: Mexico
Big Bend National Park sits in the Chihuahuan Desert along the Rio Grande at the U.S.–Mexico border in far southwest Texas.
Texas History Test Texas Geography & Natural Resources 2
Which Texas region is characterized by vast grasslands and is sometimes called the 'Staked Plains'?