The Rebs wanted to end the blockade
That was mucking up all of their trade
They sent the Merrimack
But the Union fought back
For they too had a ship iron-made

Event: USS Monitor faces CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimack) in the Battle of Hampton Roads
Year: 1862
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hampton_Roads

Oh the Grinch, he went on a mad spree
Reduced Christmas to piles of debris
But in Whoville, they say
That on that fateful day
His heart grew not just one size, but three

Event: Birth of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss
Year: 1904
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Seuss

Émile Zola stood up for the Jews
And the government he did accuse
But they did not approve
Said to prison he’d move
So to England he took a short cruise

Event: Émile Zola convicted of libel after publishing “J’accuse” in defense of Alfred Dreyfus
Year: 1898
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyfus_affair

What goes on beyond the mortal plane?
Do we any existence maintain?
Young King Tut, though well-dressed
I am sure never guessed
Of the fame that his mummy would gain

Event: Howard Carter unseals the inner chamber of Tutankhamun’s tomb
Year: 1923
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KV62

Back in Britain, the Fab Four did please
But could their sound survive overseas?
The moptops gave a go
On the Sullivan Show
Beatlemania spread like a disease

Event: The Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time
Year: 1964
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

Now, because this is a special occasion, I present an additional bonus limerick:

Listen up, ’cause I’m telling you, dude
This date is much with hist’ry imbued
Not by treaties, or wars
Or amazing sports scores
On this day, a new website debuted

Event: The Wandering Wordsman launches
Year: 2009
Learn more: Just stick around. You don’t have to go anywhere else for this one.

Nowadays the city has it all
The U.N. and the New Year’s dropped ball
Long before Son of Sam
It was New Amsterdam
And old Wall Street was just that: a wall

Event: The City of New York (then New Amsterdam) is formally incorporated
Year: 1653
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_New_York_City

Because I would hate for you to miss out on an important historical event due to this website being out of commission, here is the entry that should have appeared last Tuesday, January 26th:

With music the hills were alive
But Nazis made it hard to survive
Oh, would not it be nice
To sing of Edelweiss
Switzerland: a long, long way to drive

Event: Birth of Maria Augusta Kutschera (later, Maria von Trapp), real-life inspiration for The Sound of Music
Year: 1905
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_von_Trapp

Into war, Art tried to a wrench throw
Turn the U.S. against Mexico
But the plan did backfire
For the Brits tapped the wire
Anyway, the Mexicans said “No”

Event: The Zimmerman Telegram is sent to the German Ambassador in Mexico
Year: 1917
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmerman_telegram

How to conquer untreat’ble disease?
Just get your body put in deep freeze
In the future you’ll wake
When it’s a piece of cake
To use techniques that no one foresees

Event: Dr. James Bedford is the first human to be cryonically preserved
Year: 1967
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics

Where will his films spirit you away?
The lands of Princess Mononoke?
Or perhaps Totoro
Castles move to and fro
Miyazaki Hayao: born this day

Event: Birth of Japanese animated filmmaker Miyazaki Hayao
Year: 1941
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki