A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 1 February
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 1 February?
- 1327 Fourteen-year-old Edward III is crowned King of England
Edward III was crowned King of England when he was only fourteen years old. - 1793 France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands
Revolutionary France declared war on Great Britain and the Netherlands. - 1884 The first part of the Oxford English Dictionary is published
The very first part of the Oxford English Dictionary was published. - 1896 Puccini's opera La bohème is performed for the first time
La bohème, an opera by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, was first performed at the Teatro Regio in Turin. - 1915 Born: Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews was an English footballer who played on the right wing. - 1960 Students begin the Greensboro sit-ins against segregation
Four African-American students sat down at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, in a peaceful protest. - 1964 The Beatles have their first number one hit in America
The Beatles reached number one in the United States for the first time with 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'. - 2013 The Shard's viewing gallery opens to the public in London
Visitors could go up the Shard in London for the first time when its viewing gallery opened to the public.
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 is crowned King of England | 2026 − 1327 = | |
| 1884 | The first part of the Oxford English Dictionary is published | 2026 − 1884 = | |
| 1915 | Born: Stanley Matthews | 2026 − 1915 = | |
| 1964 | The Beatles have their first number one hit in America | 2026 − 1964 = |
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!
- Fourteen-year-old Edward III is crowned King of England
- The first part of the Oxford English Dictionary is published
- Puccini's opera La bohème is performed for the first time
- France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Fourteen-year-old Edward III is crowned King of England”?
- A. 1327
- B. 1896
- C. 1960
In which year did this happen: “The Beatles have their first number one hit in America”?
- A. 1964
- B. 2013
- C. 1893
Which of these happened first?
- A. Fourteen-year-old Edward III is crowned King of England
- B. The first part of the Oxford English Dictionary is published
- C. The Beatles have their first number one hit in America
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 1 February. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1327 → 699 years; 1884 → 142 years; 1915 → 111 years; 1964 → 62 years.
Order: 1 = Fourteen-year-old Edward III is crowned King of England (1327), 2 = France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands (1793), 3 = The first part of the Oxford English Dictionary is published (1884), 4 = Puccini's opera La bohème is performed for the first time (1896).
Quiz: 1. A (1327); 2. A (1964); 3. A (Fourteen-year-old Edward III is crowned King of England).