A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 8 February
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 8 February?
- 1575 Leiden University is founded in the Netherlands
William, Prince of Orange, founded Leiden University in the Dutch city of Leiden. - 1601 The Earl of Essex leads a failed rebellion against Elizabeth I
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, led a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, but it failed. - 1693 William and Mary found a college in Virginia
King William III and Queen Mary II gave a royal charter to set up the College of William & Mary in Virginia. - 1879 Sandford Fleming suggests a worldwide standard time
Scottish-born engineer Sandford Fleming first suggested a Universal Standard Time, at a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute. - 1910 The Boy Scouts of America is founded
William D. Boyce founded the Boy Scouts of America, bringing the Scout Movement to the United States. - 1948 The first Winter Olympics after the Second World War end
The 1948 Winter Olympics closed in St. - 1960 Elizabeth II names her descendants Mountbatten-Windsor
Queen Elizabeth II issued an order proclaiming that the royal family would remain the House of Windsor. - 1960 Work begins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Building work officially began on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1575 | Leiden University is founded in the Netherlands | 2026 − 1575 = | |
| 1693 | William and Mary found a college in Virginia | 2026 − 1693 = | |
| 1910 | The Boy Scouts of America is founded | 2026 − 1910 = | |
| 1960 | Elizabeth II names her descendants Mountbatten-Windsor | 2026 − 1960 = |
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!
- William and Mary found a college in Virginia
- Sandford Fleming suggests a worldwide standard time
- Leiden University is founded in the Netherlands
- The Earl of Essex leads a failed rebellion against Elizabeth I
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “William and Mary found a college in Virginia”?
- A. 1693
- B. 1819
- C. 1828
In which year did this happen: “Elizabeth II names her descendants Mountbatten-Windsor”?
- A. 1960
- B. 1879
- C. 1693
Which of these happened first?
- A. The Earl of Essex leads a failed rebellion against Elizabeth I
- B. Elizabeth II names her descendants Mountbatten-Windsor
- C. William and Mary found a college in Virginia
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 8 February. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1575 → 451 years; 1693 → 333 years; 1910 → 116 years; 1960 → 66 years.
Order: 1 = Leiden University is founded in the Netherlands (1575), 2 = The Earl of Essex leads a failed rebellion against Elizabeth I (1601), 3 = William and Mary found a college in Virginia (1693), 4 = Sandford Fleming suggests a worldwide standard time (1879).
Quiz: 1. A (1693); 2. A (1960); 3. A (The Earl of Essex leads a failed rebellion against Elizabeth I).