A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 17 June
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 17 June?
- 1128 Former Empress Matilda, daughter and designated heiress of king Henry I of…
- 1239 Born: Edward I
- 1497 Battle of Deptford Bridge: Forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by…
- 1579 Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it…
- 1767 Samuel Wallis, a British sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the…
- 1775 American Revolutionary War: British forces took Bunker Hill outside of Boston…
- 1795 French Revolutionary Wars: Off the coast of Brittany, a Royal Navy squadron…
- 1990 Born: Jordan Henderson
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1128 | Former Empress Matilda, daughter and designated heiress of king Henry I of… | 2026 − 1128 = | |
| 1497 | Battle of Deptford Bridge: Forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by… | 2026 − 1497 = | |
| 1767 | Samuel Wallis, a British sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the… | 2026 − 1767 = | |
| 1795 | French Revolutionary Wars: Off the coast of Brittany, a Royal Navy squadron… | 2026 − 1795 = |
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!
- Battle of Deptford Bridge: Forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by…
- Samuel Wallis, a British sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the…
- Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it…
- Former Empress Matilda, daughter and designated heiress of king Henry I of…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it”?
- A. 1239
- B. 1990
- C. 1579
In which year did this happen: “American Revolutionary War: British forces took Bunker Hill outside of Boston”?
- A. 1843
- B. 1579
- C. 1775
Which of these happened first?
- A. French Revolutionary Wars: Off the coast of Brittany, a Royal Navy squadron
- B. Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it
- C. American Revolutionary War: British forces took Bunker Hill outside of Boston
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 17 June. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1128 → 898 years; 1497 → 529 years; 1767 → 259 years; 1795 → 231 years.
Order: 1 = Former Empress Matilda, daughter and designated heiress of king Henry I of… (1128), 2 = Battle of Deptford Bridge: Forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by… (1497), 3 = Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it… (1579), 4 = Samuel Wallis, a British sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the… (1767).
Quiz: 1. C (1579); 2. C (1775); 3. B (Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it).