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History Dates

134 questions · Remember turning points in pairs. Study the notes, then practise without the clock.

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Study notes: make the connections

Remember turning points in pairs

A date becomes easier to recall when you know what changed. Compare 1807, the ban on the British slave trade, with 1833, the abolition of slavery in the Empire. Compare votes for some women in 1918 with equal voting ages in 1928.

Build a short timeline first, then add detail. The quiz tests both directions: recalling a date from an event and identifying an event from its date.

Remember the link	Key fact
Caesar’s first invasion of Britain	55 BC Caesar led an unsuccessful invasion in 55 BC.
The start of Roman occupation under Claudius	AD 43 The successful Roman invasion began in AD 43.
The withdrawal of the Roman army	AD 410 Roman troops withdrew in AD 410 to defend other parts of the empire.
The first Viking raids mentioned in the handbook	AD 789 The handbook dates the first Viking visits to AD 789.
The Norman Conquest	1066 William’s victory at Hastings in 1066 began Norman rule.
King John’s agreement to Magna Carta	1215 Magna Carta was agreed in 1215 under pressure from the nobles.
The Statute of Rhuddlan	1284 Edward I’s Statute of Rhuddlan dates from 1284.
The Battle of Bannockburn	1314 Robert the Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn in 1314.
The arrival of the Black Death in Britain	1348 The Black Death arrived in Britain in 1348.
Henry V’s victory at Agincourt	1415 Agincourt was an English victory in 1415 during the Hundred Years War.
The beginning of the Wars of the Roses	1455 The struggle between Lancaster and York began in 1455.
The Battle of Bosworth Field	1485 Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at Bosworth in 1485.
The Scottish Parliament’s abolition of papal authority	1560 Scotland’s Protestant Reformation was established by Parliament in 1560.
The defeat of the Spanish Armada	1588 England defeated the Spanish Armada in Elizabeth I’s reign in 1588.
James VI’s succession to the English throne	1603 James became James I of England after Elizabeth I died in 1603.
The failed Gunpowder Plot	1605 The plot to blow up Parliament failed in 1605.
The beginning of the English Civil War	1642 War between Charles I and Parliament began in 1642.
The execution of Charles I	1649 Charles I was executed in 1649 and England became a republic.
The death of Oliver Cromwell	1658 Cromwell’s death in 1658 left the republic without a strong leader.
The Restoration of Charles II	1660 Charles II returned from exile in 1660.
The Great Plague of London	1665 The Great Plague struck London in 1665.
The Great Fire of London	1666 The Great Fire destroyed much of London in 1666.
The Glorious Revolution	1688 William of Orange took the throne in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
The Bill of Rights	1689 The Bill of Rights of 1689 strengthened Parliament’s position.
The Battle of the Boyne	1690 William defeated James II at the Boyne in 1690.
The end of government licensing of newspapers	1695 Government licensing of newspapers ended in 1695.
The union creating the Kingdom of Great Britain	1707 England and Scotland united in 1707 to form Great Britain.
George I’s accession to the throne	1714 George I succeeded Queen Anne in 1714.
The start of Robert Walpole’s premiership	1721 Walpole served as Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.
The start of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion	1745 Charles Edward Stuart raised his Highland army in 1745.
The Battle of Culloden	1746 The Jacobite army was defeated at Culloden in 1746.
The American colonies’ declaration of independence	1776 Thirteen colonies declared independence in 1776.
British recognition of American independence	1783 Britain recognised the colonies’ independence in 1783.
Ireland’s union with Great Britain	1801 The union took effect in 1801 following the Act of Union of 1800.
The Battle of Trafalgar	1805 Nelson’s fleet won at Trafalgar in 1805.
The British ban on the slave trade	1807 The 1807 ban concerned the slave trade; slavery in the Empire was abolished later.
The opening of Britain’s first curry house	1810 Sake Dean Mahomet opened the Hindoostane Coffee House in 1810.
The Battle of Waterloo	1815 Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815.
The first major 19th-century Reform Act	1832 The 1832 Reform Act removed rotten boroughs and expanded the electorate.
The Emancipation Act	1833 The handbook dates the Emancipation Act to 1833.
The beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign	1837 Victoria became queen in 1837 at the age of 18.
The repeal of the Corn Laws	1846 Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 allowed cheaper imported grain.
The opening of the Great Exhibition	1851 The Crystal Palace housed the Great Exhibition in 1851.
The opening of Nightingale’s London training school	1860 Nightingale’s nursing school opened at St Thomas’ Hospital in 1860.
The second Reform Act	1867 The 1867 Reform Act reduced property qualifications and added urban seats.
The end of Queen Victoria’s reign	1901 Victoria’s reign ran from 1837 to 1901.
The founding of the Women’s Social and Political Union	1903 Emmeline Pankhurst helped found the WSPU in 1903.
The beginning of the First World War	1914 The First World War began in 1914.
The Easter Rising in Dublin	1916 The Easter Rising against British rule took place in 1916.
The first parliamentary votes for some women	1918 The 1918 reform enfranchised women over 30 who met the qualifications.
The partition of Ireland	1922 In 1922 Northern Ireland remained in the UK and the Irish Free State was formed.
Equal voting ages for women and men	1928 In 1928 women gained the vote at 21, matching men.
The beginning of the Great Depression	1929 The world entered the Great Depression in 1929.
The beginning of the BBC’s regular television service	1936 The BBC began the world’s first regular television service in 1936.
Britain’s declaration of war after the invasion of Poland	1939 Britain and France declared war after Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
The Battle of Britain	1940 The RAF resisted the German air campaign in 1940.
The publication of the Beveridge Report	1942 Beveridge’s 1942 report helped shape the post-war welfare state.
The Education Act associated with R A Butler	1944 The Education Act 1944 introduced free secondary education in England and Wales.
Clement Attlee’s post-war election victory	1945 Labour won the 1945 election and Attlee became Prime Minister.
The independence of India and Pakistan	1947 India and Pakistan became independent in 1947.
The establishment of the NHS	1948 The NHS was established in 1948 under Health Minister Aneurin Bevan.
Margaret Thatcher’s first election victory as party leader	1979 Thatcher became the UK’s first woman Prime Minister in 1979.
The Falklands conflict	1982 British forces recovered the Falkland Islands after Argentina’s 1982 invasion.
Tony Blair’s first election victory as Labour leader	1997 Labour won the 1997 General Election under Tony Blair.
The signing of the Good Friday Agreement	1998 The 1998 agreement was a milestone in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Gordon Brown’s succession to Tony Blair	2007 Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister in 2007.
The formation of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition	2010 David Cameron led the coalition formed after the 2010 General Election.

Handbook reference: Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history — Early Britain; Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history — The Middle Ages; Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history — The Tudors and Stuarts; Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history — A global power; Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history — The 20th century; Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history — Britain since 1945. These are original revision notes, not a reproduction of the handbook.

Three quick study checks

When did Caesar’s first invasion of Britain take place?

55 BC

Caesar led an unsuccessful invasion in 55 BC.

Which event belongs to 55 BC?

Caesar’s first invasion of Britain

Caesar led an unsuccessful invasion in 55 BC.

When did the Roman occupation under Claudius begin?

AD 43

The successful Roman invasion began in AD 43.