When informed that the people want bread
She suggested they try cake instead
They were words none too smart
From an Austrian tart
In the end, well, they cost her her head

Event: Marie Antoinette (who probably never actually said “Let them eat cake!” but presumably demonstrated her lack of interest in the plight of the common people in various other less quotable ways) is executed during the French Revolution
Year: 1793
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette

Though the series cannot be called great
You could say that it must have been fate
That the famed “Eight Men Out”
With a first-inning rout
Blew it all for the Sox in Game Eight

Event: The Cincinnati Reds win the World Series over the Chicago White Sox, eight of whom were latter banned for intentionally playing to lose in exchange for money (or for knowing about the fix and saying nothing)
Year: 1919
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_World_Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sox_scandal

A dimension not unlike our own
But the puns there may cause you to groan
Like the alien plan
To do naught but serve man
That’s the twist in this mad Twilight Zone

Event: The premiere of the original Twilight Zone TV series
Year: 1959
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone_%281959_TV_series%29

Who’d have thought that a statement of rights
Would be cause for so many huge fights?
But wherever you’re at
We can all agree that
It’s the Third that won’t keep us up nights

Event: The United States Congress passes the Bill of Rights
Year: 1789
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

Now, consistency’s not always cool
But for geysers it’s ‘ception, not rule
And what’s worthy of “Wow!”
Is it’s more faithful now
Not too bad for a rather “old” tool

Event: Old Faithful is observed and named
Year: 1871
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Faithful_Geyser

In the band room, about to depart
We heard something that made us all start
And I’m sure you’ll concur
You still know where you were
When you felt that quick shake of your heart

Event: September 11th terrorist attacks
Year: 2001
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks

“They shine light where we all would be blind
There is nothing their engine can’t find!”
“Yes, that’s all very well
But, say: what do they sell?”
“Nothing much, but they don’t seem to mind”

Event: Google is founded
Year: 1998
Learn more: Uhh, I think they have a website, but I forget the URL . . .

An oasis where thirsty folks weep
‘Cause their skin color’s only skin-deep
Where black children and white
Have no reason to fight
What do you see when you go to sleep?

Event: Martin Luther King Jr. gives his “I Have a Dream” speech
Year: 1963
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_have_a_dream

Trotsky thought that he was Lenin’s heir
But the Man of Steel did not play fair
You think exile’s tough?
Well, it wasn’t enough
Stalin found that he could not stop there

Event: Leon Trotsky dies of wounds sustained during an assassination attempt the previous day
Year: 1940
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Trotsky

From the dog with his clever cat trap
To the boy who gave Midvale bad rap
Mr. Larson, with pride
Showed us all the Far Side
‘Twas a world that no human could map

Event: Birth of Gary Larson, author of The Far Side
Year: 1950
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson