A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 3 October
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 3 October?
- 1390 Born: Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was an English prince who called himself the 'son, brother and uncle of kings'. - 1602 English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow Seas
During the Anglo-Spanish War, an English fleet led by Sir Robert Mansell attacked six Spanish galleys in the Strait of Dover. - 1712 The Duke of Montrose orders the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor
The Duke of Montrose issued a warrant for the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor, a Scottish cattleman. - 1863 Abraham Lincoln names the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving
US President Abraham Lincoln declared that the last Thursday in November would be Thanksgiving Day. - 1916 Born: James Herriot
James Herriot was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, a vet and author born in Sunderland. - 1962 Astronaut Wally Schirra orbits the Earth six times in Sigma 7
American astronaut Wally Schirra was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida in a spacecraft called Sigma 7. - 1990 East and West Germany are reunited as one country
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic, ceased to exist and became part of West Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany. - 1991 Nadine Gordimer wins the Nobel Prize in Literature
South African writer Nadine Gordimer became the first person from South Africa to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1390 | Born: Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester | 2026 − 1390 = | |
| 1712 | The Duke of Montrose orders the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor | 2026 − 1712 = | |
| 1916 | Born: James Herriot | 2026 − 1916 = | |
| 1990 | East and West Germany are reunited as one country | 2026 − 1990 = |
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!
- Abraham Lincoln names the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving
- Astronaut Wally Schirra orbits the Earth six times in Sigma 7
- The Duke of Montrose orders the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor
- English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow Seas
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow Seas”?
- A. 1991
- B. 1602
- C. 1712
In which year did this happen: “The Duke of Montrose orders the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor”?
- A. 1985
- B. 1712
- C. 1964
Which of these happened first?
- A. Nadine Gordimer wins the Nobel Prize in Literature
- B. English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow Seas
- C. The Duke of Montrose orders the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 3 October. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1390 → 636 years; 1712 → 314 years; 1916 → 110 years; 1990 → 36 years.
Order: 1 = English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow Seas (1602), 2 = The Duke of Montrose orders the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor (1712), 3 = Abraham Lincoln names the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving (1863), 4 = Astronaut Wally Schirra orbits the Earth six times in Sigma 7 (1962).
Quiz: 1. B (1602); 2. B (1712); 3. B (English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow Seas).