A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 14 May
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 14 May?
- 1027 Robert II of France names his son Henry I as junior King of the Franks
- 1264 Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes and…
- 1607 English colonists establish "James Fort"
- 1747 War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral George Anson…
- 1796 Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox inoculation
- 1842 The first edition of The Illustrated London News, the world's first…
- 1870 The first game of rugby in New Zealand is played in Nelson between Nelson…
- 1951 Trains ran on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales for the first time since its…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1027 | Robert II of France names his son Henry I as junior King of the Franks | 2026 − 1027 = | |
| 1607 | English colonists establish "James Fort" | 2026 − 1607 = | |
| 1796 | Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox inoculation | 2026 − 1796 = | |
| 1870 | The first game of rugby in New Zealand is played in Nelson between Nelson… | 2026 − 1870 = |
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!
- English colonists establish "James Fort"
- War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral George Anson…
- Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes and…
- Robert II of France names his son Henry I as junior King of the Franks
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The first game of rugby in New Zealand is played in Nelson between Nelson”?
- A. 1607
- B. 1961
- C. 1870
In which year did this happen: “Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes and”?
- A. 1607
- B. 1264
- C. 1918
Which of these happened first?
- A. Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes and
- B. Trains ran on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales for the first time since its
- C. The first game of rugby in New Zealand is played in Nelson between Nelson
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 14 May. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1027 → 999 years; 1607 → 419 years; 1796 → 230 years; 1870 → 156 years.
Order: 1 = Robert II of France names his son Henry I as junior King of the Franks (1027), 2 = Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes and… (1264), 3 = English colonists establish "James Fort" (1607), 4 = War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral George Anson… (1747).
Quiz: 1. C (1870); 2. B (1264); 3. A (Second Barons' War: King Henry III was defeated at the Battle of Lewes and).