A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 16 March
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 16 March?
- 1322 Despenser War: A royalist army defeated troops loyal to Thomas, 2nd Earl of…
- 1660 The Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640
- 1689 The Royal Welch Fusiliers, one of the oldest line-infantry regiments of the…
- 1750 Born: Caroline Herschel
- 1782 American Revolutionary War: Spain captured the island of Roatán from England…
- 1815 Prince Willem proclaims himself King of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands…
- 1872 In the inaugural final of the FA Cup Wanderers defeated Royal Engineers 1–0 in…
- 1941 World War II: Operation Appearance took place to re-establish British…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1322 | Despenser War: A royalist army defeated troops loyal to Thomas, 2nd Earl of… | 2026 − 1322 = | |
| 1689 | The Royal Welch Fusiliers, one of the oldest line-infantry regiments of the… | 2026 − 1689 = | |
| 1782 | American Revolutionary War: Spain captured the island of Roatán from England… | 2026 − 1782 = | |
| 1872 | In the inaugural final of the FA Cup Wanderers defeated Royal Engineers 1–0 in… | 2026 − 1872 = |
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!
- The Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640
- The Royal Welch Fusiliers, one of the oldest line-infantry regiments of the…
- American Revolutionary War: Spain captured the island of Roatán from England…
- Despenser War: A royalist army defeated troops loyal to Thomas, 2nd Earl of…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “American Revolutionary War: Spain captured the island of Roatán from England”?
- A. 1815
- B. 1689
- C. 1782
In which year did this happen: “The Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640”?
- A. 1997
- B. 1660
- C. 1322
Which of these happened first?
- A. In the inaugural final of the FA Cup Wanderers defeated Royal Engineers 1–0 in
- B. American Revolutionary War: Spain captured the island of Roatán from England
- C. The Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 16 March. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1322 → 704 years; 1689 → 337 years; 1782 → 244 years; 1872 → 154 years.
Order: 1 = Despenser War: A royalist army defeated troops loyal to Thomas, 2nd Earl of… (1322), 2 = The Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640 (1660), 3 = The Royal Welch Fusiliers, one of the oldest line-infantry regiments of the… (1689), 4 = American Revolutionary War: Spain captured the island of Roatán from England… (1782).
Quiz: 1. C (1782); 2. B (1660); 3. C (The Long Parliament, originally called by King Charles I of England in 1640).