A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 27 August
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 27 August?
- 1172 Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned junior king and queen…
- 1776 British forces led by William Howe defeated the Continental Army under George…
- 1793 French Revolutionary Wars: The city of Toulon revolts against the French…
- 1798 Wolfe Tone's United Irish and French forces clash with the British Army in the…
- 1810 Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeated the Royal Navy, preventing them from…
- 1896 In the shortest recorded war in history, the Sultanate of Zanzibar surrendered…
- 1955 The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published
- 1956 The nuclear power station at Calder Hall in the United Kingdom was connected…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1172 | Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned junior king and queen… | 2026 − 1172 = | |
| 1793 | French Revolutionary Wars: The city of Toulon revolts against the French… | 2026 − 1793 = | |
| 1810 | Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeated the Royal Navy, preventing them from… | 2026 − 1810 = | |
| 1955 | The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published | 2026 − 1955 = |
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!
- British forces led by William Howe defeated the Continental Army under George…
- French Revolutionary Wars: The city of Toulon revolts against the French…
- Wolfe Tone's United Irish and French forces clash with the British Army in the…
- Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned junior king and queen…
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published”?
- A. 1172
- B. 1955
- C. 1914
In which year did this happen: “Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeated the Royal Navy, preventing them from”?
- A. 1172
- B. 1927
- C. 1810
Which of these happened first?
- A. In the shortest recorded war in history, the Sultanate of Zanzibar surrendered
- B. The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published
- C. Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeated the Royal Navy, preventing them from
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 27 August. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1172 → 854 years; 1793 → 233 years; 1810 → 216 years; 1955 → 71 years.
Order: 1 = Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned junior king and queen… (1172), 2 = British forces led by William Howe defeated the Continental Army under George… (1776), 3 = French Revolutionary Wars: The city of Toulon revolts against the French… (1793), 4 = Wolfe Tone's United Irish and French forces clash with the British Army in the… (1798).
Quiz: 1. B (1955); 2. C (1810); 3. C (Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeated the Royal Navy, preventing them from).