A Day in the Past · history worksheet
On this day: 1 December
Name: Class: Date:
1. What happened on 1 December?
- 1420 Henry V rides into Paris with the French king
King Henry V of England entered Paris alongside King Charles VI of France, who was his father-in-law. - 1662 John Evelyn writes about skating in St James's Park
The diarist John Evelyn recorded skating on the frozen lake in St James's Park, London. - 1761 Born: Marie Tussaud
Marie Tussaud, often called Madame Tussaud, was a French artist known for her sculptures made of wax. - 1844 Born: Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark married Edward, who later became King Edward VII. As his wife, she was Queen of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910, while he was king. - 1919 Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to take her seat as an MP
Nancy Astor became the first woman to take her seat as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons. - 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus
In Montgomery, Alabama, in the United States, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. - 1959 Twelve countries sign the Antarctic Treaty
Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, an agreement about how Antarctica should be used. - 1990 The two halves of the Channel Tunnel meet under the sea
Tunnels dug from Britain and from France met beneath the seabed of the English Channel.
2. How long ago?
This year is 2026. Work out how many years ago each thing happened.
| Year | What happened | Sum | Years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1420 | Henry V rides into Paris with the French king | 2026 − 1420 = | |
| 1761 | Born: Marie Tussaud | 2026 − 1761 = | |
| 1919 | Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to take her seat as an MP | 2026 − 1919 = | |
| 1959 | Twelve countries sign the Antarctic Treaty | 2026 − 1959 = |
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!
- Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to take her seat as an MP
- Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus
- Henry V rides into Paris with the French king
- John Evelyn writes about skating in St James's Park
4. Quick quiz
In which year did this happen: “Henry V rides into Paris with the French king”?
- A. 1420
- B. 2020
- C. 1988
In which year did this happen: “The two halves of the Channel Tunnel meet under the sea”?
- A. 1959
- B. 1761
- C. 1990
Which of these happened first?
- A. Henry V rides into Paris with the French king
- B. The two halves of the Channel Tunnel meet under the sea
- C. Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to take her seat as an MP
5. Draw it!
Draw your favourite event from 1 December. Then write a sentence about why you chose it.
Answers for teachers
How long ago: 1420 → 606 years; 1761 → 265 years; 1919 → 107 years; 1959 → 67 years.
Order: 1 = Henry V rides into Paris with the French king (1420), 2 = John Evelyn writes about skating in St James's Park (1662), 3 = Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to take her seat as an MP (1919), 4 = Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus (1955).
Quiz: 1. A (1420); 2. C (1990); 3. A (Henry V rides into Paris with the French king).