Wicked Kira took care of their boss
Brave Ōishi was really quite cross
Waited two years, and then
With his forty-six men
Showed the world how to take care of dross

Event: The forty-seven ronin carry out their vendetta against Kira Yoshinaka, who was responsible for the death of their lord
Year: 1703
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty-seven_Ronin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%ABshingura

After driving the Khans from Beijing
Yuanzhang thought, “Hey, I’ll make myself king!”
With the Mongols now gone
It was time for the Han
And the dynasty they would call Ming

Event: Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims himself emperor, marking the beginning of the Ming Dynasty
Year: 1368
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_Dynasty

“Yes, I know any rose smells the same
But ‘Octavian’? That’s pretty lame
If I’m going to rule
I need something that’s cool
Can’t you give me a fancy new name?”

Event: Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is given the name Augustus, which later becomes representative of the Roman emperor
Year: 27 BC
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_%28honorific%29

The relations were–well, let’s say “stressed”
So the ship’s timing wasn’t the best
Was’t in anyone’s fears
There’d be war for four years
When they shot at the Star of the West?

Event: Cadets at The Citadel fire on the Star of the West as it attempts to resupply Fort Sumter (considered the first shots of the U.S. Civil War)
Year: 1861
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_the_West

That our robots should our orders take
That they try not to let themselves break
That, above those first two
They do no harm to you
Not a robot can these rules forsake

Event: Birth of Isaac Asimov
Year: 1920
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_robotics