A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 22 November
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 22 November?
- 1819 Born: George Eliot
George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. - 1855 Prince Albert lays the first stone of the Midland Institute
Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, laid the foundation stone of the Birmingham and Midland Institute in Birmingham. - 1869 The tea clipper Cutty Sark is launched in Scotland
The tea clipper Cutty Sark was launched at Dumbarton, on the River Leven in Scotland. - 1913 Born: Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten was an English composer, conductor and pianist, and a central figure in 20th-century British music. - 1943 Churchill, Roosevelt and Chiang Kai-shek meet in Cairo
During the Second World War, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and China's leader Chiang Kai-shek met in Cairo, Egypt. - 1968 The Beatles release the White Album
The Beatles released a double album called simply The Beatles. - 1990 Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister comes to an end
Margaret Thatcher pulled out of the contest to stay as leader of the Conservative Party, which meant she would stop being Prime Minister. - 1995 Toy Story, the first fully computer-animated film, is released
Toy Story was released in cinemas in the United States.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1819 | Born: George Eliot | 2026 − 1819 = | |
| 1869 | The tea clipper Cutty Sark is launched in Scotland | 2026 − 1869 = | |
| 1943 | Churchill, Roosevelt and Chiang Kai-shek meet in Cairo | 2026 − 1943 = | |
| 1990 | Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister comes to an end | 2026 − 1990 = |
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!
- Churchill, Roosevelt and Chiang Kai-shek meet in Cairo
- The tea clipper Cutty Sark is launched in Scotland
- Prince Albert lays the first stone of the Midland Institute
- The Beatles release the White Album
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “The Beatles release the White Album”?
- A. 1968
- B. 1574
- C. 1943
In which year did this happen: “Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister comes to an end”?
- A. 1940
- B. 1943
- C. 1990
Which of these happened first?
- A. Prince Albert lays the first stone of the Midland Institute
- B. Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister comes to an end
- C. The Beatles release the White Album
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 22 November. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1819 → 207 years; 1869 → 157 years; 1943 → 83 years; 1990 → 36 years.
Order: 1 = Prince Albert lays the first stone of the Midland Institute (1855), 2 = The tea clipper Cutty Sark is launched in Scotland (1869), 3 = Churchill, Roosevelt and Chiang Kai-shek meet in Cairo (1943), 4 = The Beatles release the White Album (1968).
Quiz: 1. A (1968); 2. C (1990); 3. A (Prince Albert lays the first stone of the Midland Institute).