Q 01/05

Birmingham, Alabama, was founded in 1871 by which developer?

A) Elyton Land

B) Tennessee Coal and Iron

C) Sloss Iron

D) Louisville & Nashville Railroad

Answer · why

A) Elyton Land

The neighbouring town of Elyton and several others were absorbed into the city in 1911.

Q 02/05

Birmingham, Alabama, takes its name from an English namesake known for what?

A) Its medieval cathedral and choir

B) Being the UK's second-largest and an industrial hub

C) Its Atlantic port and shipyards

D) Its ancient university and colleges

Answer · why

B) Being the UK's second-largest and an industrial hub

The founders wanted an industrial city to match; the ironworks came within a decade.

Q 03/05

Which nickname did Birmingham earn from its explosive growth between 1881 and 1920?

A) The Iron City

B) The Rocket City

C) The Magic City

D) The Steel Capital

Answer · why

C) The Magic City

It was also called the Pittsburgh of the South for its steel output.

Q 04/05

The Birmingham District is the only place where which three steelmaking raw materials sit close together?

A) Ore, copper and salt

B) Coal, bauxite and clay

C) Limestone, sand and coke

D) Ore, coal and limestone

Answer · why

D) Ore, coal and limestone

That accident of geology is why the city was planted in Jones Valley in the first place.

Q 05/05

Birmingham is the seat of which Alabama county?

A) Jefferson

B) Shelby

C) Madison

D) Mobile

Answer · why

A) Jefferson

Jefferson County's 2011 bankruptcy filing was the largest by a US local government at the time, though the city itself stayed solvent.