A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 26 April
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 26 April?
- 1564 Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon…
- 1607 The Virginia Company colonists make landfall at Cape Henry
- 1777 American Revolutionary War: Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington allegedly rode…
- 1879 Born: Owen Willans Richardson
- 1889 Born: Ludwig Wittgenstein
- 1915 First World War: Britain, France and Russia signed a secret treaty promising…
- 1923 The Duke of York (the future King George VI) weds Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon at…
- 1963 In Libya, amendments to the constitution transform Libya (United Kingdom of…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1564 | Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon… | 2026 − 1564 = | |
| 1777 | American Revolutionary War: Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington allegedly rode… | 2026 − 1777 = | |
| 1889 | Born: Ludwig Wittgenstein | 2026 − 1889 = | |
| 1923 | The Duke of York (the future King George VI) weds Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon at… | 2026 − 1923 = |
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!
- First World War: Britain, France and Russia signed a secret treaty promising…
- Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon…
- The Virginia Company colonists make landfall at Cape Henry
- American Revolutionary War: Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington allegedly rode…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “American Revolutionary War: Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington allegedly rode”?
- A. 1963
- B. 1777
- C. 1923
In which year did this happen: “Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon”?
- A. 1963
- B. 1564
- C. 1932
Which of these happened first?
- A. Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon
- B. American Revolutionary War: Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington allegedly rode
- C. First World War: Britain, France and Russia signed a secret treaty promising
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 26 April. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1564 → 462 years; 1777 → 249 years; 1889 → 137 years; 1923 → 103 years.
Order: 1 = Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon… (1564), 2 = The Virginia Company colonists make landfall at Cape Henry (1607), 3 = American Revolutionary War: Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington allegedly rode… (1777), 4 = First World War: Britain, France and Russia signed a secret treaty promising… (1915).
Quiz: 1. B (1777); 2. B (1564); 3. A (Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon).