IELTS Cue Card Sample 512 - Describe an important historical event you know about


Describe an important historical event you know about. 

You should say:

  • what event it is
  • when it happened
  • who or what was involved in it

and explain why you think it is an important historical event. 


Sample Answer 1:
I believe that history is much beyond the battles, conflicts, inventions and birth of the greatest people. History is the past events and time that have shaped the world and touched the lives of the humankind. The recent significant events like 9/11 – World Trade Center attack, the invention of the telephone, the birth of Muhammad or Jesus Christ, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria are all significant historic events that have changed the world profoundly. For this cue card topic, I would like to talk about the ‘Invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939.’

This is a historic event that has changed the whole world drastically. If this did not occur, Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have been spared, the World War || could have been avoided, several million people would not have to die, British would have ruled many parts of the world still today, several medical research could not have been done, the world superpower would have been different countries than those we see today, we would have a different economic and political agenda these days and so on and on. The cold war and Arms Race are thought to be triggered by this event and the world’s politics were changed and that would influence even the future world politics. All these major changes were the direct or indirect results of a single event – German’s decision to invade Poland.

This historic event is also known as Poland Campaign. On September 01, 1939, German forces bombard Poland and Adolf Hitler of Germany was the mastermind for this invasion. As a result, the World War || began.

The World War || is one of the rare wars that has changed the world history, power, politics, and still influences the future politics. From this regards, the invasion of Poland in 1939 is a highly powerful historical event.


Sample Answer 2:
The world is experiencing numerous events every day but not all of them are historic. Amid millions of historical events, the birth of Muhammad is one of the most influential, I believe. I thank you for the opportunity to let me talk about this historical event with a paramount importance.

According to the religion of Islam, Muhammad is the last prophet. There would be no other prophets after him. He was sent by God to make people civilised in that ancient era when chaos was the most common thing amid the Arabs. In a day of 570 AD. Muhammad was born to a noble family in Arabia known as Quaraish. He lost his father in his early childhood and was brought up by his uncles. He is also known as the Holy Prophet of Islam and the central figure who worked relentlessly to spread Islam among the non-Muslims. His contributions to uniting the Arabia are really adorable. Therefore, his birth is an important event in human history, I believe.   

Muhammad was born in an early morning of 570 to a locally renowned and noble family of Mecca. His early life was filled with struggles. Being an orphan since his birth, he had to undergo some hardship to get matured. He initially was brought up by his grandfather and then uncle, Abu Talib. During his lifetime, the region of Arabia was filled with ignorance, the indiscriminate killing was a very usual issue while the people believed in several gods and worshipped idols. The idolatry was the key concern for Him and it was really difficult for Muhammad to remove the tradition and preach Islam in the region. The people did not give up their ancestors’ faith and thus Muhammad was inflicted with a large number of both mental and physical torments. But he ensured the practice of Islamic religious belief and society following orders from the Holy Quran.

After His birth, Muhammad passed the days amid hardship. He even did not receive any formal education but he was the most intelligent person in the world. He used to seclude himself in a cave, Hira, where he received revelation. God sent an angel – Gabriel with the revelation while he was in the cave. He was around 40 when the revelation happened. Since then, he started preaching Islam as a religion secretly with the proclamation that God is only one and He is to be worshipped alone. He also preached that He was the prophet and messenger of God to preach Islam. Gradually he started getting followers but by the same time, the idolaters of Mecca started opposing Him. So, he had to shift from Mecca to escape the unwanted troubles.    

The birth of Muhammad is an event of high historical importance. It has to be admitted that Muhammad is the best and most influential man ever. If He did not come on the earth, the humans would miss a great human being. He was filled with the best humane qualities. He got inflicted with physical torments but He never hit back to His enemies. Rather he prayed God for their salvation. Once he had to leave his motherland fearing attacks from the non-believers but when he won Mecca after battles, he forgave all those who wanted Him to be killed. He is, in fact, an idol for every human regardless of religion. Even many of the non-believers term him as the best human ever born in this world. For all such reasons, I admire Muhammad most.

His birth defines the starting of the supreme religion - Islam. The historical events like the World War | & || has a great effect on the human civilisation but not even close to the birth of this great man. The world has changed to a great extent by the influence of this man. No other human history would be than profound and deepening as his birth is.


Important Historical Events:

A) The birth of Christianity.
B) The birth of Muhammad (570 AD).
C) The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (1914).
D) Invasion of Poland by Germany (1939).
E) 9/11 - World Trade Center Attack (2001).
F) The World War ||.
G) Cold War (1947 - 1991).
H) The French Revolution.
I) Cuban Missile Crisis.

In the USA:
A) Vietnam war.
B) The assassination of John F. Kenedy.
C) The Civil War.
D) 9/11, 2011.
E) The assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

In India:
A) Partition of India and Pakistan (1947).
B) Babri Masjid demolition (1991).
C) Birth of Gautam Buddha (563 BC).
D) Alexander's invasion of India (327 - 26 BC).
E) First Battle of Panipath (1526 AD).

In Australia:
A) 1787 First Fleet ( May 1, 1787).
B) Victoria became a Colony (1851).
C) Gold Rush Settlement.
D) Canberra was chosen to be the capital for Australia.
E) Queen's birthday (1788).

In Russia:
A) The collapse of the USSR (1911).
B) Victory in the World War ||.

In Canada:
A) The battle of Vimy Ridge (1917).
B) Royal Canadian Navy is established (1910).
C) Great Depression in Canada (1929).
D) Canada joins UN (1945).

In Nepal:
A) British East India Company gains control (1768).
B) Anglo-Nepalese War (1814)
C) Nepal joins the UN (1855).
D) Nepal becomes a republic (2008).
