A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 24 January
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 24 January?
- 1536 Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident
King Henry VIII had a serious accident while jousting, a sport in which two riders charge at each other with blunted lances. - 1664 Born: John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh was an English architect and playwright. - 1679 Charles II ends the long-running Cavalier Parliament
King Charles II dissolved, or officially closed, the Cavalier Parliament. - 1908 Robert Baden-Powell organises the first Boy Scout troop
Robert Baden-Powell, a British Army officer, organised the first Boy Scout troop in England. - 1918 Russia switches to the Gregorian calendar
Russia's new government ordered the country to change to the Gregorian calendar, which is used in most of the world, from 14 February. - 1928 Born: Desmond Morris
Desmond Morris was an English zoologist who studied animal behaviour, a science called ethology. - 1943 Churchill and Roosevelt end their wartime meeting in Casablanca
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt finished a meeting in Casablanca, Morocco, to plan the next stage of the Second World War. - 1972 A Japanese soldier is found still hiding in the jungle of Guam
Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese soldier from the Second World War, was found in the jungle on the Pacific island of Guam.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1536 | Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident | 2026 − 1536 = | |
| 1679 | Charles II ends the long-running Cavalier Parliament | 2026 − 1679 = | |
| 1918 | Russia switches to the Gregorian calendar | 2026 − 1918 = | |
| 1943 | Churchill and Roosevelt end their wartime meeting in Casablanca | 2026 − 1943 = |
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!
- Robert Baden-Powell organises the first Boy Scout troop
- Russia switches to the Gregorian calendar
- Charles II ends the long-running Cavalier Parliament
- Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Churchill and Roosevelt end their wartime meeting in Casablanca”?
- A. 1972
- B. 1664
- C. 1943
In which year did this happen: “Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident”?
- A. 1943
- B. 1536
- C. 1679
Which of these happened first?
- A. Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident
- B. Charles II ends the long-running Cavalier Parliament
- C. Churchill and Roosevelt end their wartime meeting in Casablanca
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 24 January. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1536 → 490 years; 1679 → 347 years; 1918 → 108 years; 1943 → 83 years.
Order: 1 = Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident (1536), 2 = Charles II ends the long-running Cavalier Parliament (1679), 3 = Robert Baden-Powell organises the first Boy Scout troop (1908), 4 = Russia switches to the Gregorian calendar (1918).
Quiz: 1. C (1943); 2. B (1536); 3. A (Henry VIII is badly hurt in a jousting accident).