A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 28 March
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 28 March?
- 1854 Crimean War: France and Britain declare war on Russia
- 1918 World War I: British and Australian troops defeated German forces at the First…
- 1921 Born: Dirk Bogarde
- 1941 World War II: First day of the Battle of Cape Matapan in Greece between the…
- 1942 Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was…
- 1942 Born: Mike Newell
- 1969 Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate Giorgos Seferis makes a famous statement…
- 1979 British prime minister James Callaghan was defeated by one vote in a vote of…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1854 | Crimean War: France and Britain declare war on Russia | 2026 − 1854 = | |
| 1921 | Born: Dirk Bogarde | 2026 − 1921 = | |
| 1942 | Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was… | 2026 − 1942 = | |
| 1969 | Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate Giorgos Seferis makes a famous statement… | 2026 − 1969 = |
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!
- World War I: British and Australian troops defeated German forces at the First…
- Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was…
- World War II: First day of the Battle of Cape Matapan in Greece between the…
- Crimean War: France and Britain declare war on Russia
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “British prime minister James Callaghan was defeated by one vote in a vote of”?
- A. 1969
- B. 1979
- C. 1760
In which year did this happen: “Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was”?
- A. 1969
- B. 1942
- C. 1902
Which of these happened first?
- A. Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate Giorgos Seferis makes a famous statement
- B. British prime minister James Callaghan was defeated by one vote in a vote of
- C. Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 28 March. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1854 → 172 years; 1921 → 105 years; 1942 → 84 years; 1969 → 57 years.
Order: 1 = Crimean War: France and Britain declare war on Russia (1854), 2 = World War I: British and Australian troops defeated German forces at the First… (1918), 3 = World War II: First day of the Battle of Cape Matapan in Greece between the… (1941), 4 = Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was… (1942).
Quiz: 1. B (1979); 2. B (1942); 3. C (Second World War: The port of Saint-Nazaire in German-occupied France was).