A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 19 February
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 19 February?
- 1594 Born: Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick was the eldest son of King James VI and I, and heir to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland. - 1674 A peace treaty ends the Third Anglo-Dutch War
England and the Dutch Republic signed the Treaty of Westminster, ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War, which was fought mainly at sea. - 1819 William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica
English sea captain William Smith, from Blyth in Northumberland, discovered the South Shetland Islands. - 1836 William IV signs the papers creating the Province of South Australia
King William IV signed Letters Patent, an official royal document, establishing the Province of South Australia. - 1878 Thomas Edison patents the phonograph
American inventor Thomas Edison received a patent for the phonograph, which he had invented in 1877. - 1910 Old Trafford football stadium hosts its first match
Manchester United played their first match at their new stadium, Old Trafford, against Liverpool. - 1959 An agreement in London clears the way for an independent Cyprus
Leaders from the UK, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus met at Lancaster House in London. - 2002 NASA's Mars Odyssey starts to map the surface of Mars
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft began mapping the surface of Mars with a heat-sensing camera.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1594 | Born: Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales | 2026 − 1594 = | |
| 1819 | William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica | 2026 − 1819 = | |
| 1878 | Thomas Edison patents the phonograph | 2026 − 1878 = | |
| 1959 | An agreement in London clears the way for an independent Cyprus | 2026 − 1959 = |
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 IV signs the papers creating the Province of South Australia
- Thomas Edison patents the phonograph
- William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica
- A peace treaty ends the Third Anglo-Dutch War
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Old Trafford football stadium hosts its first match”?
- A. 2004
- B. 1910
- C. 2011
In which year did this happen: “William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica”?
- A. 2011
- B. 1819
- C. 2004
Which of these happened first?
- A. William IV signs the papers creating the Province of South Australia
- B. Old Trafford football stadium hosts its first match
- C. William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 19 February. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1594 → 432 years; 1819 → 207 years; 1878 → 148 years; 1959 → 67 years.
Order: 1 = A peace treaty ends the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1674), 2 = William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica (1819), 3 = William IV signs the papers creating the Province of South Australia (1836), 4 = Thomas Edison patents the phonograph (1878).
Quiz: 1. B (1910); 2. B (1819); 3. C (William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica).