A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 31 October
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 31 October?
- AD 475 Romulus Augustulus becomes the last Western Roman emperor
Romulus Augustulus became emperor of the Western Roman Empire. - 1517 Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses spark the Reformation
Martin Luther, a German priest and professor, is said to have posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg. - 1795 Born: John Keats
John Keats was an English poet, born in 1795. - 1940 The Battle of Britain comes to an end
The Battle of Britain, a campaign of the Second World War, came to an end. - 1941 Work on the giant presidents of Mount Rushmore is completed
About 400 workers finished the giant sculptures of four US presidents at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. - 1950 Born: Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi and British architect, born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1950. - 1999 Jesse Martin, 18, becomes the youngest to sail solo round the world
Australian sailor Jesse Martin arrived in Melbourne, becoming the youngest person to sail around the world alone, without stopping and without help. - 2005 Two new moons of Pluto, Nix and Hydra, are announced
Astronomers announced that they had found two more moons of Pluto, later named Nix and Hydra.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| AD 475 | Romulus Augustulus becomes the last Western Roman emperor | 2026 − 475 = | |
| 1795 | Born: John Keats | 2026 − 1795 = | |
| 1941 | Work on the giant presidents of Mount Rushmore is completed | 2026 − 1941 = | |
| 1999 | Jesse Martin, 18, becomes the youngest to sail solo round the world | 2026 − 1999 = |
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!
- Romulus Augustulus becomes the last Western Roman emperor
- Work on the giant presidents of Mount Rushmore is completed
- The Battle of Britain comes to an end
- Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses spark the Reformation
4. Quick quiz
In which year was John Keats born?
- A. 1999
- B. AD 475
- C. 1795
In which year did this happen: “The Battle of Britain comes to an end”?
- A. 1940
- B. 1517
- C. 1923
Which of these happened first?
- A. The Battle of Britain comes to an end
- B. Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses spark the Reformation
- C. Romulus Augustulus becomes the last Western Roman emperor
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 31 October. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 475 → 1,551 years; 1795 → 231 years; 1941 → 85 years; 1999 → 27 years.
Order: 1 = Romulus Augustulus becomes the last Western Roman emperor (AD 475), 2 = Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses spark the Reformation (1517), 3 = The Battle of Britain comes to an end (1940), 4 = Work on the giant presidents of Mount Rushmore is completed (1941).
Quiz: 1. C (1795); 2. A (1940); 3. C (Romulus Augustulus becomes the last Western Roman emperor).