A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 17 May
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 17 May?
- 1536 Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled
- 1590 Anne of Denmark was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at…
- 1749 Born: Edward Jenner
- 1756 Seven Years' War formally begins when Great Britain declares war on France
- 1760 French forces besieging Quebec retreat
- 1900 Second Boer War: The Siege of Mafeking in South Africa was lifted
- 1915 The last British Liberal Party government (led by H. H. Asquith) falls
- 1984 Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1536 | Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled | 2026 − 1536 = | |
| 1749 | Born: Edward Jenner | 2026 − 1749 = | |
| 1760 | French forces besieging Quebec retreat | 2026 − 1760 = | |
| 1915 | The last British Liberal Party government (led by H. H. Asquith) falls | 2026 − 1915 = |
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!
- French forces besieging Quebec retreat
- Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled
- Anne of Denmark was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at…
- Seven Years' War formally begins when Great Britain declares war on France
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Second Boer War: The Siege of Mafeking in South Africa was lifted”?
- A. 1536
- B. 1900
- C. 1756
In which year did this happen: “Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a”?
- A. 1749
- B. 1984
- C. 1536
Which of these happened first?
- A. Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a
- B. Anne of Denmark was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at
- C. Second Boer War: The Siege of Mafeking in South Africa was lifted
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 17 May. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1536 → 490 years; 1749 → 277 years; 1760 → 266 years; 1915 → 111 years.
Order: 1 = Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled (1536), 2 = Anne of Denmark was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at… (1590), 3 = Seven Years' War formally begins when Great Britain declares war on France (1756), 4 = French forces besieging Quebec retreat (1760).
Quiz: 1. B (1900); 2. B (1984); 3. B (Anne of Denmark was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at).