A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 21 April
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 21 April?
- AD 995 Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1806 Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast…
- 1816 Born: Charlotte Brontë
- 1838 Born: John Muir
- 1926 Born: Elizabeth II
- 1934 The "Surgeon's Photograph", the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch…
- 1959 Born: Robert Smith
- 1979 Born: James McAvoy
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| AD 995 | Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury | 2026 − 995 = | |
| 1816 | Born: Charlotte Brontë | 2026 − 1816 = | |
| 1926 | Born: Elizabeth II | 2026 − 1926 = | |
| 1959 | Born: Robert Smith | 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!
- Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast…
- The "Surgeon's Photograph", the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch…
- Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury”?
- A. 1922
- B. 1816
- C. AD 995
In which year was Elizabeth II born?
- A. 1926
- B. 1838
- C. 1959
Which of these happened first?
- A. Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
- B. The "Surgeon's Photograph", the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch
- C. Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 21 April. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 995 → 1,031 years; 1816 → 210 years; 1926 → 100 years; 1959 → 67 years.
Order: 1 = Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury (AD 995), 2 = Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast… (1806), 3 = The "Surgeon's Photograph", the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch… (1934).
Quiz: 1. C (AD 995); 2. A (1926); 3. A (Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury).