A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 9 February
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 9 February?
- 1737 Born: Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine was an English-born writer and thinker who became one of America's Founding Fathers. - 1775 Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts in rebellion
The British Parliament declared that the American colony of Massachusetts was in rebellion. - 1855 Mysterious 'Devil's Footprints' appear in the snow in Devon
After a heavy snowfall in Devon, people discovered trails of strange hoof-like marks in the snow. - 1893 Verdi's last opera, Falstaff, is first performed
Falstaff, the last opera by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, was first performed at La Scala in Milan. - 1907 Thousands of women join the Mud March for the right to vote
More than 3,000 women marched peacefully through London, from Hyde Park Corner to the Strand, to demand the right to vote. - 1964 The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in America
The Beatles made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, an American television programme, in front of a record-breaking audience. - 1996 Scientists create the new element copernicium
Scientists at the GSI Helmholtz Centre near Darmstadt, Germany, created the chemical element copernicium for the first time. - 2018 The Winter Olympics open in Pyeongchang, South Korea
The opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1737 | Born: Thomas Paine | 2026 − 1737 = | |
| 1855 | Mysterious 'Devil's Footprints' appear in the snow in Devon | 2026 − 1855 = | |
| 1907 | Thousands of women join the Mud March for the right to vote | 2026 − 1907 = | |
| 1996 | Scientists create the new element copernicium | 2026 − 1996 = |
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!
- Verdi's last opera, Falstaff, is first performed
- Mysterious 'Devil's Footprints' appear in the snow in Devon
- Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts in rebellion
- Thousands of women join the Mud March for the right to vote
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in America”?
- A. 1964
- B. 1981
- C. 1907
In which year did this happen: “Mysterious 'Devil's Footprints' appear in the snow in Devon”?
- A. 1855
- B. 1981
- C. 1996
Which of these happened first?
- A. Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts in rebellion
- B. Mysterious 'Devil's Footprints' appear in the snow in Devon
- C. The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in America
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 9 February. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1737 → 289 years; 1855 → 171 years; 1907 → 119 years; 1996 → 30 years.
Order: 1 = Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts in rebellion (1775), 2 = Mysterious 'Devil's Footprints' appear in the snow in Devon (1855), 3 = Verdi's last opera, Falstaff, is first performed (1893), 4 = Thousands of women join the Mud March for the right to vote (1907).
Quiz: 1. A (1964); 2. A (1855); 3. A (Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts in rebellion).