A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 24 November
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 24 November?
- 1542 England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss
A large Scottish army marched into England and was beaten near Solway Moss, by the River Esk, by a much smaller English force. - 1642 Abel Tasman becomes the first European to reach Tasmania
The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to reach the island now called Tasmania. - 1849 Born: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Frances Hodgson Burnett was a British-American writer, born in Cheetham, Manchester. - 1859 Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published
Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species was published, and the first copies sold out on the very first day. - 1877 Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty is published
Black Beauty, a novel by the English writer Anna Sewell, was published. - 1962 That Was the Week That Was is first shown on BBC television
The comedy programme That Was the Week That Was was shown on BBC Television for the first time. - 1969 Apollo 12 splashes down safely after a Moon landing
The Apollo 12 spacecraft splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean, ending the second mission to land people on the Moon. - 2016 Colombia signs a peace deal to end a 50-year civil war
The government of Colombia and the rebel group FARC signed a revised peace deal.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1542 | England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss | 2026 − 1542 = | |
| 1849 | Born: Frances Hodgson Burnett | 2026 − 1849 = | |
| 1877 | Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty is published | 2026 − 1877 = | |
| 1969 | Apollo 12 splashes down safely after a Moon landing | 2026 − 1969 = |
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!
- Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published
- Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty is published
- Abel Tasman becomes the first European to reach Tasmania
- England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published”?
- A. 2023
- B. 1859
- C. 2016
In which year did this happen: “England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss”?
- A. 1642
- B. 1542
- C. 2023
Which of these happened first?
- A. Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty is published
- B. Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published
- C. England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 24 November. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1542 → 484 years; 1849 → 177 years; 1877 → 149 years; 1969 → 57 years.
Order: 1 = England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss (1542), 2 = Abel Tasman becomes the first European to reach Tasmania (1642), 3 = Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published (1859), 4 = Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty is published (1877).
Quiz: 1. B (1859); 2. B (1542); 3. C (England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss).