A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 1 November
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 1 November?
- 1141 Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on
During a civil war known as the Anarchy, Empress Matilda released her rival, King Stephen. - 1688 William of Orange sets sail to take the throne from James II
William of Orange set sail from Hellevoetsluis in the Netherlands for the second time. - 1765 Britain's Stamp Act comes into force in the American colonies
The Stamp Act, a British tax on the Thirteen Colonies in America, came into force. - 1824 The giant timber ship Columbus arrives off England
The Columbus arrived in the Downs, off the coast of England, after sailing from Quebec with a huge cargo of timber. - 1889 Born: Philip Noel-Baker
Philip Noel-Baker was a British politician, diplomat and athlete, born in 1889. - 1921 Frances Kyle becomes one of the first women barristers
Frances Kyle and Averil Deverell were called to the Bar of Ireland, becoming the first women barristers anywhere in Ireland or Great Britain. - 1987 An InterCity 125 sets a diesel train speed record of 238 km/h
A British Rail InterCity 125 High Speed Train reached 238 km/h, about 148 miles per hour. - 1998 Karl Bushby sets off to walk around the world
English adventurer Karl Bushby set off from Punta Arenas, near the southern tip of Chile, to walk around the world towards home in England.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1141 | Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on | 2026 − 1141 = | |
| 1765 | Britain's Stamp Act comes into force in the American colonies | 2026 − 1765 = | |
| 1889 | Born: Philip Noel-Baker | 2026 − 1889 = | |
| 1987 | An InterCity 125 sets a diesel train speed record of 238 km/h | 2026 − 1987 = |
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!
- Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on
- Britain's Stamp Act comes into force in the American colonies
- William of Orange sets sail to take the throne from James II
- The giant timber ship Columbus arrives off England
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on”?
- A. 1141
- B. 1512
- C. 1987
In which year did this happen: “Karl Bushby sets off to walk around the world”?
- A. 1998
- B. 1800
- C. 1987
Which of these happened first?
- A. Frances Kyle becomes one of the first women barristers
- B. Karl Bushby sets off to walk around the world
- C. Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 1 November. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1141 → 885 years; 1765 → 261 years; 1889 → 137 years; 1987 → 39 years.
Order: 1 = Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on (1141), 2 = William of Orange sets sail to take the throne from James II (1688), 3 = Britain's Stamp Act comes into force in the American colonies (1765), 4 = The giant timber ship Columbus arrives off England (1824).
Quiz: 1. A (1141); 2. A (1998); 3. C (Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags on).