A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 9 January
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 9 January?
- 1799 William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax
Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduced an income tax in Great Britain to help pay for the war against France. - 1806 Admiral Nelson is given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral
Admiral Horatio Nelson was given a state funeral and buried in St Paul's Cathedral in London. - 1816 Humphry Davy's safety lamp is tested in a coal mine
Humphry Davy's new safety lamp was tested at Hebburn Colliery, a coal mine. - 1909 Shackleton's team gets closer to the South Pole than anyone before
During the Nimrod Expedition, Ernest Shackleton and his team planted the British flag about 180 kilometres from the South Pole. - 1941 The Avro Lancaster aeroplane flies for the first time
The Avro Lancaster, a British four-engine heavy bomber, made its first flight. - 1982 Born: Catherine, Princess of Wales
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is a member of the British royal family. - 1992 The first planets outside our Solar System are confirmed
Radio astronomers Aleksander Wolszczan and Dale Frail announced that they had found two planets orbiting a pulsar called PSR B1257+12. - 2007 Steve Jobs introduces the first iPhone
Apple's boss, Steve Jobs, introduced the first iPhone at a Macworld event in San Francisco.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1799 | William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax | 2026 − 1799 = | |
| 1816 | Humphry Davy's safety lamp is tested in a coal mine | 2026 − 1816 = | |
| 1941 | The Avro Lancaster aeroplane flies for the first time | 2026 − 1941 = | |
| 1992 | The first planets outside our Solar System are confirmed | 2026 − 1992 = |
3. Put them in order
Write 1 next to the oldest event, then 2, 3 and so on up to the newest. Use list 1 to help you!
- Humphry Davy's safety lamp is tested in a coal mine
- Shackleton's team gets closer to the South Pole than anyone before
- William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax
- Admiral Nelson is given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Admiral Nelson is given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral”?
- A. 1806
- B. 1917
- C. 1816
In which year did this happen: “William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax”?
- A. 1799
- B. 1982
- C. 1917
Which of these happened first?
- A. Humphry Davy's safety lamp is tested in a coal mine
- B. William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax
- C. Admiral Nelson is given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 9 January. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1799 → 227 years; 1816 → 210 years; 1941 → 85 years; 1992 → 34 years.
Order: 1 = William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax (1799), 2 = Admiral Nelson is given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral (1806), 3 = Humphry Davy's safety lamp is tested in a coal mine (1816), 4 = Shackleton's team gets closer to the South Pole than anyone before (1909).
Quiz: 1. A (1806); 2. A (1799); 3. B (William Pitt the Younger introduces income tax).