A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 3 May
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 3 May?
- 1811 The Anglo-Portuguese army under Lord Wellington tries to halt a larger French…
- 1892 Born: George Paget Thomson
- 1911 Edith Maryon's statuette The Dance of Anitra, one of the few of her works…
- 1915 The oldest Royal Air Force station in continuous operation, RAF Northolt…
- 1921 Under the British Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was partitioned into two…
- 1942 Second World War: Japanese forces began an invasion of Tulagi and nearby…
- 1951 London's Royal Festival Hall opens with the Festival of Britain
- 1979 The Conservative Party wins the United Kingdom general election. The
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1811 | The Anglo-Portuguese army under Lord Wellington tries to halt a larger French… | 2026 − 1811 = | |
| 1911 | Edith Maryon's statuette The Dance of Anitra, one of the few of her works… | 2026 − 1911 = | |
| 1921 | Under the British Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was partitioned into two… | 2026 − 1921 = | |
| 1951 | London's Royal Festival Hall opens with the Festival of Britain | 2026 − 1951 = |
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!
- Edith Maryon's statuette The Dance of Anitra, one of the few of her works…
- Under the British Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was partitioned into two…
- The Anglo-Portuguese army under Lord Wellington tries to halt a larger French…
- The oldest Royal Air Force station in continuous operation, RAF Northolt…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The oldest Royal Air Force station in continuous operation, RAF Northolt”?
- A. 1951
- B. 1915
- C. 1892
In which year did this happen: “Under the British Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was partitioned into two”?
- A. 1961
- B. 1911
- C. 1921
Which of these happened first?
- A. Under the British Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was partitioned into two
- B. The oldest Royal Air Force station in continuous operation, RAF Northolt
- C. Second World War: Japanese forces began an invasion of Tulagi and nearby
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 3 May. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1811 → 215 years; 1911 → 115 years; 1921 → 105 years; 1951 → 75 years.
Order: 1 = The Anglo-Portuguese army under Lord Wellington tries to halt a larger French… (1811), 2 = Edith Maryon's statuette The Dance of Anitra, one of the few of her works… (1911), 3 = The oldest Royal Air Force station in continuous operation, RAF Northolt… (1915), 4 = Under the British Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was partitioned into two… (1921).
Quiz: 1. B (1915); 2. C (1921); 3. B (The oldest Royal Air Force station in continuous operation, RAF Northolt).