A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 21 October
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 21 October?
- 1345 A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche
In the Hundred Years' War, an Anglo-Gascon army of 1,200 men beat a much larger French army of 7,000. - 1772 Born: Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born. - 1805 Nelson's fleet wins the Battle of Trafalgar
During the Napoleonic Wars, a British fleet led by Lord Nelson defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Villeneuve. - 1854 Florence Nightingale sets off to nurse soldiers in the Crimean War
Florence Nightingale and a team of 38 nurses and 15 nuns were sent to the Ottoman Empire. - 1858 Offenbach's can-can music is heard for the first time
The operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, by the composer Jacques Offenbach, was first performed in Paris. - 1879 Thomas Edison applies for a patent for his light bulb
American inventor Thomas Edison applied for a patent for his design of an incandescent light bulb. - 1958 Born: Andre Geim
The physicist Andre Geim was born in Russia and later worked at the University of Manchester. - 1959 The Guggenheim Museum opens in New York
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, designed by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in New York City.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1345 | A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche | 2026 − 1345 = | |
| 1805 | Nelson's fleet wins the Battle of Trafalgar | 2026 − 1805 = | |
| 1858 | Offenbach's can-can music is heard for the first time | 2026 − 1858 = | |
| 1958 | Born: Andre Geim | 2026 − 1958 = |
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!
- Nelson's fleet wins the Battle of Trafalgar
- A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche
- Offenbach's can-can music is heard for the first time
- Florence Nightingale sets off to nurse soldiers in the Crimean War
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Florence Nightingale sets off to nurse soldiers in the Crimean War”?
- A. 1959
- B. 1854
- C. 1345
In which year did this happen: “A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche”?
- A. 1600
- B. 1345
- C. 1854
Which of these happened first?
- A. Nelson's fleet wins the Battle of Trafalgar
- B. Florence Nightingale sets off to nurse soldiers in the Crimean War
- C. A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 21 October. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1345 → 681 years; 1805 → 221 years; 1858 → 168 years; 1958 → 68 years.
Order: 1 = A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche (1345), 2 = Nelson's fleet wins the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), 3 = Florence Nightingale sets off to nurse soldiers in the Crimean War (1854), 4 = Offenbach's can-can music is heard for the first time (1858).
Quiz: 1. B (1854); 2. B (1345); 3. C (A small English army wins the Battle of Auberoche).