A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 25 January
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 25 January?
- 1327 Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England
Fourteen-year-old Edward III became King of England after his father, Edward II, was forced to give up the throne. - 1533 Anne Boleyn secretly marries Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn secretly married King Henry VIII, becoming the second of his six wives. - 1585 Walter Raleigh is knighted after naming Virginia
Walter Raleigh was knighted, becoming Sir Walter Raleigh. - 1759 Born: Robert Burns
Robert Burns, often called Rabbie Burns, was born in Alloway, Ayrshire. - 1858 Mendelssohn's Wedding March is played at a royal wedding
Felix Mendelssohn's Wedding March was played at the wedding of Queen Victoria's daughter, also called Victoria, to Prince Friedrich of Prussia. - 1890 Nellie Bly completes a record-breaking trip around the world
American journalist Nellie Bly arrived back in New York after travelling around the world by land and sea in just over 72 days. - 1915 Bell opens the first coast-to-coast telephone line in the USA
Alexander Graham Bell opened the first telephone service right across the United States. - 2004 NASA's rover Opportunity lands on Mars
NASA's rover Opportunity landed on Mars and rolled into a small crater called Eagle crater, on a plain called Meridiani Planum.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1327 | Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England | 2026 − 1327 = | |
| 1585 | Walter Raleigh is knighted after naming Virginia | 2026 − 1585 = | |
| 1858 | Mendelssohn's Wedding March is played at a royal wedding | 2026 − 1858 = | |
| 1915 | Bell opens the first coast-to-coast telephone line in the USA | 2026 − 1915 = |
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!
- Anne Boleyn secretly marries Henry VIII
- Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England
- Mendelssohn's Wedding March is played at a royal wedding
- Walter Raleigh is knighted after naming Virginia
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Anne Boleyn secretly marries Henry VIII”?
- A. 1890
- B. 1947
- C. 1533
In which year did this happen: “Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England”?
- A. 1792
- B. 1961
- C. 1327
Which of these happened first?
- A. Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England
- B. Anne Boleyn secretly marries Henry VIII
- C. Walter Raleigh is knighted after naming Virginia
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 25 January. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1327 → 699 years; 1585 → 441 years; 1858 → 168 years; 1915 → 111 years.
Order: 1 = Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England (1327), 2 = Anne Boleyn secretly marries Henry VIII (1533), 3 = Walter Raleigh is knighted after naming Virginia (1585), 4 = Mendelssohn's Wedding March is played at a royal wedding (1858).
Quiz: 1. C (1533); 2. C (1327); 3. A (Fourteen-year-old Edward III becomes King of England).