A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 17 April
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 17 April?
- 1797 French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General…
- 1809 Napoleonic Wars: After a three-day chase, the French ship D'Hautpoul was…
- 1951 The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom
- 1951 Born: Olivia Hussey
- 1959 Born: Sean Bean
- 1974 Born: Victoria Beckham
- 1982 Constitution Act, 1982 Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by…
- 2021 The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, takes place at St George's…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1797 | French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General… | 2026 − 1797 = | |
| 1951 | The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom | 2026 − 1951 = | |
| 1959 | Born: Sean Bean | 2026 − 1959 = | |
| 1982 | Constitution Act, 1982 Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by… | 2026 − 1982 = |
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!
- French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General…
- Constitution Act, 1982 Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by…
- The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom
- Napoleonic Wars: After a three-day chase, the French ship D'Hautpoul was…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Napoleonic Wars: After a three-day chase, the French ship D'Hautpoul was”?
- A. 1809
- B. 1982
- C. 1974
In which year did this happen: “French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General”?
- A. 1957
- B. 1959
- C. 1797
Which of these happened first?
- A. Napoleonic Wars: After a three-day chase, the French ship D'Hautpoul was
- B. French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General
- C. The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 17 April. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1797 → 229 years; 1951 → 75 years; 1959 → 67 years; 1982 → 44 years.
Order: 1 = French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General… (1797), 2 = Napoleonic Wars: After a three-day chase, the French ship D'Hautpoul was… (1809), 3 = The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom (1951), 4 = Constitution Act, 1982 Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by… (1982).
Quiz: 1. A (1809); 2. C (1797); 3. B (French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General).