Standing tall with his four ships of black
Matthew Perry sought not to attack
No, instead he did bring
A much scarier thing:
Tides of change that could not be held back

Event: Commodore Matthew Perry sails the “black ships” (USS Mississippi, USS Plymouth, USS Saratoga, and USS Susquehanna) into Edo Bay, bringing a symbolic end to Japan’s centuries-old policy of sakoku, in which contact with the outside world (and especially the West) was kept to a minimum
Year: 1853
Learn more: Matthew Perry (no, not Matthew Perry)
Black Ships
Sakoku

Independence? Not noteworthy seen
By a land still quite fond of their Queen
What they do celebrate
Is their unified state
When one Canada came on the scene

Event: The British North America Act of 1867 joins the Province of Canada with the colonies of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to form a single dominion, called Canada
Year: 1867
Learn more: Canadian Confederation
Constitution Act
Canada Day

Now in tennis, you must win by two
But I’m not sure they thought that plan through
It took three days in June
Each one gone well past noon
‘Fore John Isner could fin’lly say “Whew!”

Event: The longest match in the history of professional tennis comes to a merciful conclusion, with John Isner defeating Nicolas Mahut after winning the final set 70-68
Year: 2010
Learn more: Isner-Mahut Match at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships

Though at first he could do naught but bawl
Shah Jahan knew that tears are too small
He’d ensure that not one
By the time he was done
Could forget his dear Mumtaz Mahal

Event: Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Shah Jahan, dies in childbirth. He would later commission the construction of the Taj Mahal to serve as her mausoleum.
Year: 1631
Learn more: Mumtaz Mahal
Taj Mahal

This happened on June 10th, not the 11th, so this entry really should have appeared yesterday. I’d like to be able to blame the mix-up on the website, but the fact of the matter is I simply missed it. Forgive me!

Swearing never to let bill see light
Mr. Thurmond got ready to fight
After long weeks of bluster
His great filibuster
Mr. Humphrey quite rightly did smite

Event: The U.S. Senate votes to end the filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Year: 1964 (shocking, I know)
Learn more: Civil Rights Act of 1964

Ed’s proposal caused many to frown
Leaving one way to calm them all down
And when push came to shove
He decided on love
As he gave to his brother his crown

Event: The Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII) marries Wallis Simpson
Year: 1937
Learn more: Edward VIII
Wallis Simpson
Edward VIII Abdication Crisis

In the thick of the Art Deco storm
Many prominent skylines took form
From the Bay to New York
Th’architectural stork
Brought the sites to which tourists now swarm

Events: The Chrysler Building opens to the public. It was the tallest building in the world for almost a full year before being surpassed by the Empire State Building.
The Golden Gate Bridge opens to the public. It was the world’s longest suspension bridge until 1964, when it was surpassed by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It remains to this day the world’s orangest bridge.
Years: 1930; 1937
Learn more: Chrysler Building
Golden Gate Bridge
Art Deco

Now to Google we all tip our caps
As the world’s leading resource for maps
But in times long before
Going to a map store
Was much more like the shooting of craps

Event: Abraham Ortelius publishes Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas
Year: 1570
Learn more: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum

Stealing softly ‘neath night’s ebon veil
Little Planter from Charleston’d sail
With the captain ashore
Plucky Smalls saw a door
To a place he could new freedom hail

Event: Slave pilot Robert Smalls took the steamer Planter from Charleston Harbor, sailed past the Confederate lines, and turned the ship over to the Union forces, earning freedom for himself and 15 others aboard
Year: 1862
Learn more: USS Planter
Robert Smalls

There was Germany born, riding high
World War I came to end with a sigh
From a small lodge for sport
To the home of the court
Royal power, thy name was Versailles

Event: Louis XIV relocates the French royal court to the Palace at Versailles
Year: 1682
Learn more: Palace of Versailles