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A Day in the Past · history worksheet

On this day: 12 August

Name: Class: Date:

1. What happened on 12 August?

  1. 1762 Born: George IV
  2. 1774 Born: Robert Southey
  3. 1806 Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos…
  4. 1865 Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic…
  5. 1914 World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on…
  6. 1949 Born: Mark Knopfler
  7. 1989 Born: Tom Cleverley
  8. 1992 Born: Cara Delevingne

2. How long ago?

This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.

YearWhat happenedSumYears ago
1762Born: George IV2026 − 1762 =
1806Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos…2026 − 1806 =
1914World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on…2026 − 1914 =
1989Born: Tom Cleverley2026 − 1989 =

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!

4. Quick quiz

  1. In which year did this happen: “World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on”?

    • A. 1919
    • B. 1989
    • C. 1914

  2. In which year did this happen: “Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic”?

    • A. 1988
    • B. 1865
    • C. 1914

  3. Which of these happened first?

    • A. Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos
    • B. World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on
    • C. Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic

5. Draw it!

Draw your favourite event from 12 August. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.

Answers for teachers

How long ago: 1762 → 264 years; 1806 → 220 years; 1914 → 112 years; 1989 → 37 years.

Order: 1 = Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos… (1806), 2 = Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic… (1865), 3 = World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on… (1914).

Quiz: 1. C (1914); 2. B (1865); 3. A (Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos).