A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 19 January
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 19 January?
- 1736 Born: James Watt
James Watt was a Scottish inventor and engineer, born on 19 January by the old calendar then used in Britain. - 1764 John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons
MP and journalist John Wilkes was thrown out of the House of Commons for seditious libel, which means publishing words that attack the government. - 1817 José de San Martín leads his army across the Andes
General José de San Martín led an army of more than 5,000 soldiers over the Andes mountains from Argentina into Chile. - 1848 Born: Matthew Webb
Captain Matthew Webb was an English sailor and swimmer from Dawley, Shropshire. - 1883 Edison's first electric lighting system with overhead wires begins
The first electric lighting system to use overhead wires, built by inventor Thomas Edison, started working in Roselle, New Jersey, in the USA. That year Edison began building lighting systems for small towns across the country. - 1966 Indira Gandhi becomes India's first woman prime minister
Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister of India, the first woman to lead the country. - 1995 Everyone is rescued after lightning strikes a North Sea helicopter
A helicopter flying from Aberdeen to an oil platform in the North Sea was struck by lightning, which badly damaged its tail rotor. - 2007 Kite-skiers reach Antarctica's Pole of Inaccessibility
A four-man team called N2i reached Antarctica's Pole of Inaccessibility, the point on the continent furthest from the sea.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1736 | Born: James Watt | 2026 − 1736 = | |
| 1817 | José de San Martín leads his army across the Andes | 2026 − 1817 = | |
| 1883 | Edison's first electric lighting system with overhead wires begins | 2026 − 1883 = | |
| 1995 | Everyone is rescued after lightning strikes a North Sea helicopter | 2026 − 1995 = |
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!
- José de San Martín leads his army across the Andes
- Indira Gandhi becomes India's first woman prime minister
- John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons
- Edison's first electric lighting system with overhead wires begins
4. Quick quiz
In which year was James Watt born?
- A. 2024
- B. 1736
- C. 1817
In which year did this happen: “John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons”?
- A. 1995
- B. 2024
- C. 1764
Which of these happened first?
- A. Edison's first electric lighting system with overhead wires begins
- B. John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons
- C. Everyone is rescued after lightning strikes a North Sea helicopter
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 19 January. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1736 → 290 years; 1817 → 209 years; 1883 → 143 years; 1995 → 31 years.
Order: 1 = John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons (1764), 2 = José de San Martín leads his army across the Andes (1817), 3 = Edison's first electric lighting system with overhead wires begins (1883), 4 = Indira Gandhi becomes India's first woman prime minister (1966).
Quiz: 1. B (1736); 2. C (1764); 3. B (John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons).