A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 27 September
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 27 September?
- 1066 William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river…
- 1810 The French army under André Masséna fails to break British forces under the…
- 1851 The British East India Company inaugurated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the…
- 1875 The merchant ship Ellen Southard was wrecked in a storm at Liverpool, England
- 1918 Born: Martin Ryle
- 1922 King Constantine I of Greece abdicates his throne in favor of his eldest son…
- 1938 The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth is launched in Glasgow
- 1964 The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2, an advanced Cold War tactical strike…
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1066 | William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river… | 2026 − 1066 = | |
| 1851 | The British East India Company inaugurated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the… | 2026 − 1851 = | |
| 1918 | Born: Martin Ryle | 2026 − 1918 = | |
| 1938 | The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth is launched in Glasgow | 2026 − 1938 = |
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!
- William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river…
- The French army under André Masséna fails to break British forces under the…
- The British East India Company inaugurated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the…
- The merchant ship Ellen Southard was wrecked in a storm at Liverpool, England
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The British East India Company inaugurated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the”?
- A. 1851
- B. 1958
- C. 1922
In which year did this happen: “The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2, an advanced Cold War tactical strike”?
- A. 1066
- B. 1922
- C. 1964
Which of these happened first?
- A. The British East India Company inaugurated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the
- B. William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river
- C. The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2, an advanced Cold War tactical strike
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 27 September. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1066 → 960 years; 1851 → 175 years; 1918 → 108 years; 1938 → 88 years.
Order: 1 = William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river… (1066), 2 = The French army under André Masséna fails to break British forces under the… (1810), 3 = The British East India Company inaugurated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the… (1851), 4 = The merchant ship Ellen Southard was wrecked in a storm at Liverpool, England (1875).
Quiz: 1. A (1851); 2. C (1964); 3. B (William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river).