A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 5 July
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 5 July?
- 1687 Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
- 1841 Thomas Cook, the founder of the British travel company Thomas Cook & Son…
- 1954 The BBC broadcasts its first daily television news bulletin
- 1975 Arthur Ashe becomes the first black man to win the Wimbledon singles title
- 2009 The Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever…
- 2012 The Shard in London was inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a…
- 2022 British government ministers Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resign from the…
- 2024 Keir Starmer is appointed Prime Minister by Charles III
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1687 | Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica | 2026 − 1687 = | |
| 1954 | The BBC broadcasts its first daily television news bulletin | 2026 − 1954 = | |
| 2009 | The Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever… | 2026 − 2009 = | |
| 2022 | British government ministers Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resign from the… | 2026 − 2022 = |
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!
- Thomas Cook, the founder of the British travel company Thomas Cook & Son…
- Arthur Ashe becomes the first black man to win the Wimbledon singles title
- The BBC broadcasts its first daily television news bulletin
- Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The Shard in London was inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a”?
- A. 1853
- B. 1954
- C. 2012
In which year did this happen: “Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica”?
- A. 1841
- B. 1687
- C. 1975
Which of these happened first?
- A. Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
- B. Thomas Cook, the founder of the British travel company Thomas Cook & Son
- C. The Shard in London was inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 5 July. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1687 → 339 years; 1954 → 72 years; 2009 → 17 years; 2022 → 4 years.
Order: 1 = Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687), 2 = Thomas Cook, the founder of the British travel company Thomas Cook & Son… (1841), 3 = The BBC broadcasts its first daily television news bulletin (1954), 4 = Arthur Ashe becomes the first black man to win the Wimbledon singles title (1975).
Quiz: 1. C (2012); 2. B (1687); 3. A (Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica).