A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 1 April
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 1 April?
- 1234 Richard Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, was defeated by knights loyal to King Henry…
- 1293 Robert Winchelsey left England for Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of…
- 1871 The Duke of Buckingham opened the first section of the Brill Tramway, a short…
- 1879 The Inland Customs Line, established by the British for the collection of the…
- 1918 The United Kingdom established the Royal Air Force, near the end of the First…
- 1933 English cricketer Wally Hammond set a record for the highest individual score…
- 1969 The Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first operational fighter aircraft with…
- 1989 Margaret Thatcher's new local government tax, the Community Charge (commonly…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1234 | Richard Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, was defeated by knights loyal to King Henry… | 2026 − 1234 = | |
| 1871 | The Duke of Buckingham opened the first section of the Brill Tramway, a short… | 2026 − 1871 = | |
| 1918 | The United Kingdom established the Royal Air Force, near the end of the First… | 2026 − 1918 = | |
| 1969 | The Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first operational fighter aircraft with… | 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!
- Richard Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, was defeated by knights loyal to King Henry…
- The Duke of Buckingham opened the first section of the Brill Tramway, a short…
- The Inland Customs Line, established by the British for the collection of the…
- Robert Winchelsey left England for Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The United Kingdom established the Royal Air Force, near the end of the First”?
- A. 1234
- B. 1964
- C. 1918
In which year did this happen: “Margaret Thatcher's new local government tax, the Community Charge (commonly”?
- A. 1969
- B. 1871
- C. 1989
Which of these happened first?
- A. The United Kingdom established the Royal Air Force, near the end of the First
- B. The Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first operational fighter aircraft with
- C. Margaret Thatcher's new local government tax, the Community Charge (commonly
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 1 April. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1234 → 792 years; 1871 → 155 years; 1918 → 108 years; 1969 → 57 years.
Order: 1 = Richard Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, was defeated by knights loyal to King Henry… (1234), 2 = Robert Winchelsey left England for Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of… (1293), 3 = The Duke of Buckingham opened the first section of the Brill Tramway, a short… (1871), 4 = The Inland Customs Line, established by the British for the collection of the… (1879).
Quiz: 1. C (1918); 2. C (1989); 3. A (The United Kingdom established the Royal Air Force, near the end of the First).