A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 26 September
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 26 September?
- 1087 William II, son of William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England
- 1142 Stephen of Blois's army approached Oxford, beginning the siege of Oxford
- 1423 Hundred Years' War: A French army defeats the English at the Battle of La…
- 1580 English explorer Francis Drake's galleon the Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth…
- 1777 American Revolutionary War: British troops capture and begin the occupation of…
- 1888 Born: T. S. Eliot
- 1907 The British colony of New Zealand officially became a dominion to reflect its…
- 1968 The Beatles completed the recording of John Lennon's song "Happiness Is a Warm…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1087 | William II, son of William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England | 2026 − 1087 = | |
| 1423 | Hundred Years' War: A French army defeats the English at the Battle of La… | 2026 − 1423 = | |
| 1777 | American Revolutionary War: British troops capture and begin the occupation of… | 2026 − 1777 = | |
| 1907 | The British colony of New Zealand officially became a dominion to reflect its… | 2026 − 1907 = |
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!
- Hundred Years' War: A French army defeats the English at the Battle of La…
- English explorer Francis Drake's galleon the Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth…
- William II, son of William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England
- Stephen of Blois's army approached Oxford, beginning the siege of Oxford
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The Beatles completed the recording of John Lennon's song "Happiness Is a Warm”?
- A. 1968
- B. 1423
- C. 1953
In which year did this happen: “English explorer Francis Drake's galleon the Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth”?
- A. 1580
- B. 1888
- C. 1777
Which of these happened first?
- A. William II, son of William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England
- B. English explorer Francis Drake's galleon the Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth
- C. The Beatles completed the recording of John Lennon's song "Happiness Is a Warm
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 26 September. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1087 → 939 years; 1423 → 603 years; 1777 → 249 years; 1907 → 119 years.
Order: 1 = William II, son of William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England (1087), 2 = Stephen of Blois's army approached Oxford, beginning the siege of Oxford (1142), 3 = Hundred Years' War: A French army defeats the English at the Battle of La… (1423), 4 = English explorer Francis Drake's galleon the Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth… (1580).
Quiz: 1. A (1968); 2. A (1580); 3. A (William II, son of William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England).