A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 4 July
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 4 July?
- 1643 First English Civil War: Royalist forces defeated the Parliamentarians at the…
- 1776 In Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of…
- 1832 Durham University established by Act of Parliament
- 1837 The Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway with steam…
- 1862 In a boat on the River Thames from Oxford to Godstow, author Lewis Carroll…
- 1947 The "Indian Independence Bill" is presented before the British House of…
- 1988 Kylie Minogue's first album, Kylie, was released, and went on to top the…
- 2024 Keir Starmer led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the United Kingdom…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1643 | First English Civil War: Royalist forces defeated the Parliamentarians at the… | 2026 − 1643 = | |
| 1832 | Durham University established by Act of Parliament | 2026 − 1832 = | |
| 1862 | In a boat on the River Thames from Oxford to Godstow, author Lewis Carroll… | 2026 − 1862 = | |
| 1988 | Kylie Minogue's first album, Kylie, was released, and went on to top the… | 2026 − 1988 = |
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!
- In Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of…
- First English Civil War: Royalist forces defeated the Parliamentarians at the…
- The Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway with steam…
- Durham University established by Act of Parliament
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “In a boat on the River Thames from Oxford to Godstow, author Lewis Carroll”?
- A. 1643
- B. 1862
- C. 1947
In which year did this happen: “Keir Starmer led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the United Kingdom”?
- A. 1643
- B. 2024
- C. 1774
Which of these happened first?
- A. Kylie Minogue's first album, Kylie, was released, and went on to top the
- B. In a boat on the River Thames from Oxford to Godstow, author Lewis Carroll
- C. Keir Starmer led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the United Kingdom
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 4 July. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1643 → 383 years; 1832 → 194 years; 1862 → 164 years; 1988 → 38 years.
Order: 1 = First English Civil War: Royalist forces defeated the Parliamentarians at the… (1643), 2 = In Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of… (1776), 3 = Durham University established by Act of Parliament (1832), 4 = The Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway with steam… (1837).
Quiz: 1. B (1862); 2. B (2024); 3. B (In a boat on the River Thames from Oxford to Godstow, author Lewis Carroll).