A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 31 July
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 31 July?
- 1423 Hundred Years' War: Battle of Cravant: A Franco-Scottish army is defeated by…
- 1703 Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel
- 1856 Christchurch, New Zealand, is chartered as a city
- 1947 Born: Richard Griffiths
- 1963 Born: Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim)
- 1965 Born: J. K. Rowling
- 1970 Black Tot Day: The last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the…
- 2007 The Troubles: Operation Banner, the British Armed Forces' operation in…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1423 | Hundred Years' War: Battle of Cravant: A Franco-Scottish army is defeated by… | 2026 − 1423 = | |
| 1856 | Christchurch, New Zealand, is chartered as a city | 2026 − 1856 = | |
| 1963 | Born: Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) | 2026 − 1963 = | |
| 1970 | Black Tot Day: The last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the… | 2026 − 1970 = |
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!
- Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel
- Hundred Years' War: Battle of Cravant: A Franco-Scottish army is defeated by…
- Black Tot Day: The last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the…
- Christchurch, New Zealand, is chartered as a city
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The Troubles: Operation Banner, the British Armed Forces' operation in”?
- A. 1974
- B. 1703
- C. 2007
In which year did this happen: “Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel”?
- A. 2007
- B. 1703
- C. 1970
Which of these happened first?
- A. Hundred Years' War: Battle of Cravant: A Franco-Scottish army is defeated by
- B. The Troubles: Operation Banner, the British Armed Forces' operation in
- C. Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 31 July. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1423 → 603 years; 1856 → 170 years; 1963 → 63 years; 1970 → 56 years.
Order: 1 = Hundred Years' War: Battle of Cravant: A Franco-Scottish army is defeated by… (1423), 2 = Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel (1703), 3 = Christchurch, New Zealand, is chartered as a city (1856), 4 = Black Tot Day: The last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the… (1970).
Quiz: 1. C (2007); 2. B (1703); 3. A (Hundred Years' War: Battle of Cravant: A Franco-Scottish army is defeated by).