A Day in the Past

On this day: 22 April

113 things happened on 22 April, from AD 296 to 2016. UK stories come first, then the rest of the world.

Printable worksheet Take the quiz

In the UK 3

UK history first: stories from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Around the world 24

1836 190 years ago

Texas Revolution: A day after the Battle of San Jacinto, forces under Texas General Sam Houston identify Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna among the captives of the battle when some of his fellow soldiers mistakenly give away his identity.

War & peace Find out more: Texas Revolution (Wikipedia)
1889 137 years ago

At noon, thousands rush to claim land in the Land Rush of 1889. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie are formed with populations of at least 10,000.

Find out more: Land Rush of 1889 (Wikipedia)

Quick quiz

Every answer is somewhere on this page. Have a go, then check!

  1. In which year did this happen: “The first meeting of the Colonial Defence Committee, a standing committee of”?

    1. 1885
    2. 1929
    3. 1830
    Show the answer

    A: 1885. 1885 — that’s 141 years ago. Find it on the page

  2. In which year did this happen: “The United Kingdom, Japan and the United States sign the London Naval Treaty”?

    1. 1969
    2. 1707
    3. 1930
    Show the answer

    C: 1930. 1930 — that’s 96 years ago. Find it on the page

  3. Which of these happened first?

    1. The first meeting of the Colonial Defence Committee, a standing committee of
    2. The United Kingdom, Japan and the United States sign the London Naval Treaty
    3. British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston wins the Sunday Times Golden Globe
    Show the answer

    A: The first meeting of the Colonial Defence Committee, a standing committee of. 1885: The first meeting of the Colonial Defence Committee, a standing committee of · 1930: The United Kingdom, Japan and the United States sign the London Naval Treaty · 1969: British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston wins the Sunday Times Golden Globe Find it on the page

  4. “Henry Fielding” happened in 1707. How many years ago was that?

    1. 319 years
    2. 329 years
    3. 309 years
    Show the answer

    A: 319 years. 2026 − 1707 = 319. Find it on the page

Born on this day 40

Famous people whose birthday is 22 April.

Remembering 16

Well-known people who died on 22 April.

Special days 11

Festivals, holidays and saints’ days celebrated on 22 April somewhere in the world.

For older readers 19 Show stories about war, disasters, crime and other difficult history

Content note: these entries mention things like war, violence, deaths, disasters or crime. They are part of history, but they can be upsetting. Grown-ups and teachers: you may want to read them first. They come straight from Wikipedia and have not been rewritten for children.

Where these facts come from

Stories with a heading have been written for young readers by A Day in the Past, using the linked articles as sources. Other entries show text from Wikipedia’s “April 22” page and its “On this day” feed, written by Wikipedia contributors and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. Each “Read more” link goes to the article an entry is based on. Photos are credited under each picture. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us.