A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 31 January
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 31 January?
- 1858 Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched
The SS Great Eastern, an iron steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was launched at Millwall on the River Thames in London. - 1865 The US Congress votes to abolish slavery
The United States Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery, and sent it to the states to approve. - 1958 Explorer 1, America's first satellite, is launched
Explorer 1, the first satellite launched by the United States, lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida late in the evening, local time. - 1961 Ham the chimpanzee is launched into space
A chimpanzee named Ham was launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, inside a Mercury spacecraft. - 1971 Apollo 14 blasts off for the Moon
Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell lifted off on a Saturn V rocket on the Apollo 14 mission. - 1979 Born: Daniel Tammet
Daniel Tammet is an English writer, born in Barking, London. - 2020 The United Kingdom leaves the European Union
The United Kingdom officially left the European Union (EU) at 11 pm, after 47 years as a member. - 2023 The last Boeing 747 jumbo jet is delivered
The very last Boeing 747 was delivered to the airline Atlas Air.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1858 | Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched | 2026 − 1858 = | |
| 1958 | Explorer 1, America's first satellite, is launched | 2026 − 1958 = | |
| 1971 | Apollo 14 blasts off for the Moon | 2026 − 1971 = | |
| 2020 | The United Kingdom leaves the European Union | 2026 − 2020 = |
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!
- Ham the chimpanzee is launched into space
- Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched
- The US Congress votes to abolish slavery
- Explorer 1, America's first satellite, is launched
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The United Kingdom leaves the European Union”?
- A. 1971
- B. 2020
- C. 1978
In which year did this happen: “Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched”?
- A. 2023
- B. 1858
- C. 1978
Which of these happened first?
- A. Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched
- B. The United Kingdom leaves the European Union
- C. Ham the chimpanzee is launched into space
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 31 January. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1858 → 168 years; 1958 → 68 years; 1971 → 55 years; 2020 → 6 years.
Order: 1 = Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched (1858), 2 = The US Congress votes to abolish slavery (1865), 3 = Explorer 1, America's first satellite, is launched (1958), 4 = Ham the chimpanzee is launched into space (1961).
Quiz: 1. B (2020); 2. B (1858); 3. A (Brunel's giant steamship Great Eastern is finally launched).