A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 5 November
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 5 November?
- 1605 Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails
Around midnight, men searching the rooms beneath the House of Lords in London found Guy Fawkes guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder. - 1688 William of Orange lands at Brixham to challenge King James II
Prince William of Orange landed at Brixham with a Dutch fleet. - 1854 British and French armies win the Battle of Inkerman
During the Crimean War, British and French armies defeated the Russian army at Inkerman, in what is now Ukraine. - 1892 Born: J. B. S. Haldane
The British-born scientist J. B. S. Haldane, nicknamed ‘Jack’, was born. - 1913 Born: Vivien Leigh
The British actress Vivien Leigh was born. - 1914 Britain and France declare war on the Ottoman Empire
During the First World War, France and the British Empire declared war on the Ottoman Empire. - 1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt wins a record third US election
Franklin D. Roosevelt won the US presidential election for a third time, something no other president has done. - 2013 India launches its first mission to Mars
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the Mars Orbiter Mission, also known as Mangalyaan.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1605 | Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails | 2026 − 1605 = | |
| 1854 | British and French armies win the Battle of Inkerman | 2026 − 1854 = | |
| 1913 | Born: Vivien Leigh | 2026 − 1913 = | |
| 1940 | Franklin D. Roosevelt wins a record third US election | 2026 − 1940 = |
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!
- William of Orange lands at Brixham to challenge King James II
- British and French armies win the Battle of Inkerman
- Britain and France declare war on the Ottoman Empire
- Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “British and French armies win the Battle of Inkerman”?
- A. 1913
- B. 2007
- C. 1854
In which year did this happen: “Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails”?
- A. 1914
- B. 1605
- C. 1960
Which of these happened first?
- A. William of Orange lands at Brixham to challenge King James II
- B. British and French armies win the Battle of Inkerman
- C. Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 5 November. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1605 → 421 years; 1854 → 172 years; 1913 → 113 years; 1940 → 86 years.
Order: 1 = Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails (1605), 2 = William of Orange lands at Brixham to challenge King James II (1688), 3 = British and French armies win the Battle of Inkerman (1854), 4 = Britain and France declare war on the Ottoman Empire (1914).
Quiz: 1. C (1854); 2. B (1605); 3. C (Guy Fawkes is caught and the Gunpowder Plot fails).