A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 4 September
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 4 September?
- 1241 Born: Alexander III
- 1479 The Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed by the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and…
- 1666 The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred
- 1800 The French garrison in Valletta surrenders to British troops who had been…
- 1934 Evelyn Waugh's novel A Handful of Dust was first published in full
- 1934 Born: Clive Granger
- 1944 World War II: The British 11th Armoured Division liberates the Belgian city of…
- 1964 Scotland's Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh officially opens
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1241 | Born: Alexander III | 2026 − 1241 = | |
| 1666 | The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred | 2026 − 1666 = | |
| 1934 | Evelyn Waugh's novel A Handful of Dust was first published in full | 2026 − 1934 = | |
| 1944 | World War II: The British 11th Armoured Division liberates the Belgian city of… | 2026 − 1944 = |
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!
- The Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed by the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and…
- The French garrison in Valletta surrenders to British troops who had been…
- The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred
- Evelyn Waugh's novel A Handful of Dust was first published in full
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred”?
- A. 1666
- B. 1975
- C. 1479
In which year did this happen: “Evelyn Waugh's novel A Handful of Dust was first published in full”?
- A. 1934
- B. 1944
- C. 1905
Which of these happened first?
- A. The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred
- B. Scotland's Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh officially opens
- C. Evelyn Waugh's novel A Handful of Dust was first published in full
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 4 September. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1241 → 785 years; 1666 → 360 years; 1934 → 92 years; 1944 → 82 years.
Order: 1 = The Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed by the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and… (1479), 2 = The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred (1666), 3 = The French garrison in Valletta surrenders to British troops who had been… (1800), 4 = Evelyn Waugh's novel A Handful of Dust was first published in full (1934).
Quiz: 1. A (1666); 2. A (1934); 3. A (The most destructive damage from the Great Fire of London (depicted) occurred).