A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 17 July
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 17 July?
- 1048 Four year-old Henry IV is crowned as king of Germany in Aachen
- 1453 The Battle of Castillon, the last engagement of the Hundred Years' War, ended…
- 1717 King George I of Great Britain sails down the River Thames with a barge of 50…
- 1863 The New Zealand Wars resumed as British forces led by General Duncan Cameron…
- 1945 World War II: The main three leaders of the Allied nations, Winston Churchill…
- 1947 Born: Queen Camilla
- 1949 Born: Geezer Butler
- 1992 The Manchester Metrolink, the first modern street-running light-rail system in…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1048 | Four year-old Henry IV is crowned as king of Germany in Aachen | 2026 − 1048 = | |
| 1717 | King George I of Great Britain sails down the River Thames with a barge of 50… | 2026 − 1717 = | |
| 1945 | World War II: The main three leaders of the Allied nations, Winston Churchill… | 2026 − 1945 = | |
| 1949 | Born: Geezer Butler | 2026 − 1949 = |
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!
- Four year-old Henry IV is crowned as king of Germany in Aachen
- King George I of Great Britain sails down the River Thames with a barge of 50…
- The Battle of Castillon, the last engagement of the Hundred Years' War, ended…
- The New Zealand Wars resumed as British forces led by General Duncan Cameron…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The Battle of Castillon, the last engagement of the Hundred Years' War, ended”?
- A. 1453
- B. 1971
- C. 1947
In which year did this happen: “The Manchester Metrolink, the first modern street-running light-rail system in”?
- A. 1992
- B. 1947
- C. 1997
Which of these happened first?
- A. The Battle of Castillon, the last engagement of the Hundred Years' War, ended
- B. The Manchester Metrolink, the first modern street-running light-rail system in
- C. The New Zealand Wars resumed as British forces led by General Duncan Cameron
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 17 July. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1048 → 978 years; 1717 → 309 years; 1945 → 81 years; 1949 → 77 years.
Order: 1 = Four year-old Henry IV is crowned as king of Germany in Aachen (1048), 2 = The Battle of Castillon, the last engagement of the Hundred Years' War, ended… (1453), 3 = King George I of Great Britain sails down the River Thames with a barge of 50… (1717), 4 = The New Zealand Wars resumed as British forces led by General Duncan Cameron… (1863).
Quiz: 1. A (1453); 2. A (1992); 3. A (The Battle of Castillon, the last engagement of the Hundred Years' War, ended).