A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 29 October
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 29 October?
- 1740 Born: James Boswell
James Boswell was a Scottish writer and lawyer, born in Edinburgh in 1740. - 1792 William Broughton spots a peak and names it Mount Hood
William Broughton, an officer in the Royal Navy, spotted a mountain peak in what is now the US state of Oregon. - 1925 Born: Robert Hardy
Robert Hardy was an English actor, born in 1925, with a long career in theatre, film and television. - 1956 Israel invades Egypt, starting the Suez Crisis
Israel invaded Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, beginning what became known as the Suez Crisis. - 1969 The first computer-to-computer link is made on ARPANET
The first ever link between two computers was made on ARPANET, an early computer network. - 1986 Margaret Thatcher opens the final section of the M25
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher opened the last section of the M25, the motorway that circles most of Greater London. - 1998 John Glenn returns to space at the age of 77
Former astronaut John Glenn flew into space again, aged 77, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. - 2013 A railway tunnel under the sea links Europe and Asia
The first part of the Marmaray rail project opened in Istanbul, Turkey.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1740 | Born: James Boswell | 2026 − 1740 = | |
| 1925 | Born: Robert Hardy | 2026 − 1925 = | |
| 1969 | The first computer-to-computer link is made on ARPANET | 2026 − 1969 = | |
| 1998 | John Glenn returns to space at the age of 77 | 2026 − 1998 = |
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!
- Israel invades Egypt, starting the Suez Crisis
- Margaret Thatcher opens the final section of the M25
- The first computer-to-computer link is made on ARPANET
- William Broughton spots a peak and names it Mount Hood
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Margaret Thatcher opens the final section of the M25”?
- A. 1740
- B. 1991
- C. 1986
In which year did this happen: “Israel invades Egypt, starting the Suez Crisis”?
- A. 1969
- B. 1956
- C. 1740
Which of these happened first?
- A. Israel invades Egypt, starting the Suez Crisis
- B. William Broughton spots a peak and names it Mount Hood
- C. Margaret Thatcher opens the final section of the M25
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 29 October. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1740 → 286 years; 1925 → 101 years; 1969 → 57 years; 1998 → 28 years.
Order: 1 = William Broughton spots a peak and names it Mount Hood (1792), 2 = Israel invades Egypt, starting the Suez Crisis (1956), 3 = The first computer-to-computer link is made on ARPANET (1969), 4 = Margaret Thatcher opens the final section of the M25 (1986).
Quiz: 1. C (1986); 2. B (1956); 3. B (William Broughton spots a peak and names it Mount Hood).