LIBRARY OF'CONGRESS. 
 
 Shelf ..-.2-7-^ 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
Chronological Rhymes 
 
 IN- 
 
 Modern History 
 
 'MUG §0^1893 
 
<-" 
 
 Copyrighted, 18!*2, 
 
 Bv S. A. Brown. 
 
REVISED EDITION. 
 Copyrighted 1893. 
 
 Hy S. A. Brown. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 On page 17, first line, read In instead of Ih. 
 second line, read on a instead of or the. 
 On page 31 read i84g instead of iS4i. 
 
Revised Edition, 
 
 PART I. 
 
 1893 
 
The prominent, pivotal dates of his- 
 tory are to the student what milestones 
 are to the ti'aveller. 
 
Chkonological Khymes 
 
 IN 
 MODEEN HiSTOKY. 
 
 Chronology should serve to trace 
 The jutting rocks of age and race; 
 A lighthouse prove for every clime 
 To guide us down the stream of time, 
 And first the birth of Christ, we state. 
 The Christain world's great central date. 
 
CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 70 
 
 Unable Roman might to quell, 
 
 In seventy, Jerusalem fell; 
 
 Her temple fair to ruin hurled. 
 
 Her children exiled through the world. 
 
 306 
 
 Three hundred six, we note the date 
 When Constantine, surnamed "The Great" 
 The sceptre took, and claimed, we see. 
 First Christian emperor to be. 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY. 
 
 451 
 
 Four hundred fifty-one, we see 
 The hosts of Huns in battle flee, 
 Where Christian might on Chalon's sod 
 Met Attila, the "Scourge of God." 
 
 476 
 
 Four seventy-six, serves to recall 
 The Roman Empire's tottering fall. 
 
CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 622 
 
 Six: hundred twenty-two, 'tis said, 
 Mahomet to Medina fled; 
 From that Hegira, as they state. 
 The prophet's sons their era date. 
 
 732 
 
 In seven hundred thirty-two. 
 The battle-ground of Tours we view, 
 Where Charles Martel with fiery ken 
 Drove back the hated Saracen. 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY. 9 
 
 768 
 
 In seven sixty- eight, the reign 
 O'er France began of Charlemagne. 
 
 827 
 Eight hundred twenty-seven, we see 
 In one the Saxon Heptarchy. 
 
 1066 
 One thousand sixty-six, 'tis shown 
 The Gorman mounted England's throne. 
 
 1096 
 One thousand ninety-six was made 
 By pilgrim band the First Crusade. 
 
10 CHEONOLOUrCAL RHYMES 
 
 I2I5 
 
 In twelve fifteen, at Rnnnymede, 
 King John anwillingly agreed 
 To sign the Magna Charta then, 
 Which sealed the rights of Englishmen. 
 
 1450 
 
 In fourteen fifty, Germans claim 
 Through Gutenburg's wide-honored name, 
 The great invention of the age, 
 Which gave the world the printed page. 
 
IN MODERN HISTOKY. 11 
 
 1453 
 
 In fouj'teen hundred fifty-three, 
 Constantinople ceased to be 
 A Roman city, since that day 
 The Turk has held despotic sway. 
 
 1492 
 
 In fourteen ninety-two, the brave 
 Columbus west fi-om Palos went, 
 And laid o'er the Atlantic wave 
 The path to a new continent. 
 
12 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1522 
 
 In fifteen twenty-two, 'tis found 
 Magellan sailed the world around, 
 And claimed to be the pioneer 
 In proving thus the earth a sphere. 
 
 1603 
 
 We find in sixteen hundred three, 
 England and Scotland both agree 
 Their ancient feud aside to fling, 
 And James the Stuart crown as kino^. 
 
IN MODERN HISTOKY. 13 
 
 1607 
 
 In sixteen seven, settlers came 
 From English soil foi* Jamestown bent; 
 In honor of their king, his name 
 They gave to this first settlement. 
 
 1610 
 
 In sixteen hundred ten, the tide. 
 In France, of sorrow filled the land, 
 "When Henry Fourth, her monarch, died, 
 Slain by tlie fell assassin's hand. 
 
14 CHEONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1620 
 
 In sixteen twenty, o'er the waves 
 The Mayflower neared Isew England's 
 
 strand 
 And Plymouth Rock the honor craves 
 Of welcoming the Pilgrim band. 
 
 1649 
 
 In sixteen forty-nine, his fate 
 
 Met England's ^Charles by regicide. 
 
 * Charles i. 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY. 15 
 
 1658 
 
 In sixteen hundred fifty-eight, 
 Cromwell, the Lord Protector, died. 
 
 1775 
 
 In seventeen seventy-five, was won 
 The opening fight at Lexington, 
 Which ranked, in seventeen eighty-three, 
 Our country's name among the free. 
 
16 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1793 
 
 In seventeen ninety-three, the king 
 Louis Sixteenth was guillotined, 
 While France a bloody offering 
 From Revolution's harvest gleaned. 
 
 1812 
 In eighteen twelve, History relates 
 England and the United States, 
 Fought three long years upon the sea, 
 Each struggling for supremacy. 
 
IN MODEKN HISTORY 17 
 
 l8l2 
 
 111 eighteen twelve, Napoleon came 
 To Moscovv^, aa^fe^ bloody track, 
 But soon, with help of frost and flame, 
 The Russians drove his legions back. 
 
 1815 
 
 In eighteen fifteen, Napoleon, too, 
 Defeated, fled from Waterloo, 
 And rocky St. Helena gave 
 To him a prison and a grave. 
 
18 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1854 
 
 There comes in eiij^hteeii fifty-foar, 
 From Crimea the cannon's roar, 
 Where English Bnll and Knssian Bear 
 With France the ])loody conflict share. 
 
 1857 
 
 In eighteen hnndred fifty-seven, 
 The cable's message first was given. 
 As through the deep Atlantic meetino-, 
 Our country sent to Europe greeting 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY. 19 
 
 1858 
 
 In eighteen fifty- eight, 'tis known, 
 Victoria on English throne, 
 Began upon this date, the name 
 Empress of India to claim. 
 
 1 86 1 
 
 In eighteen sixty -one, the strife 
 Betwixt the North and South began 
 And threatening sore the ^N^ation's life, 
 Four weary years its courses ran. 
 
20 CHRONOLOGICAL KHYMES 
 
 1863 
 
 In eighteen hundred sixty-three, 
 Was signed by Lincohi ''The Decree" 
 Which gave at once "Emancipation" 
 To every slave throughout the nation. 
 
 1864 
 In eighteen hundred sixty-four. 
 While civil war the country tore. 
 To Mexico, by French consent, 
 Ill-fated Maximilian went, 
 But died in eighteen sixty-seven, 
 To treachery a victim given. 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY. 21 
 
 1865 
 
 In eighteen sixty-five, a wave 
 Tliroughont our land of horror went, 
 And tears and sobs the IS'ation gave 
 Lincoln, her martyred president. 
 
 1870 
 
 In eighteen seventy, we see 
 Napoleon Third was forced to flee. 
 And France in that eventful hour 
 To bow beneath the German power. 
 
22 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1 88 1 
 
 In eighteen eighty-one, the wail 
 Of sorrow rose for Garfield slain. 
 The nation heard the tw^ice-told tale, 
 And monrned her martyred dead again. 
 
 The Nineteenth Centnry's closing life 
 With fresh discovery is rife. 
 While History bends with listening ear 
 The Fntnre's coming march to hear, 
 And wonders what new offering 
 The Twentieth Century will bring. 
 
PART II, 
 
Presidents. 
 A. D. 1 789-1893 
 
1789 
 
 Washington. 
 
 In seventeen hundred eighty-nine, 
 First of the presidential hne 
 Stands Washington, though years increase, 
 Still "first in war" and "first in peace." 
 
26 CHRONOLOGIC VL RHYMES 
 
 1797 
 
 In seventeen hundred and ninety-seven. 
 The oath of office next was given 
 To bold John Adams, brave and true, 
 Whose patriot heart his country knew. 
 
 1801 
 
 Then comes in eighteen hundred one 
 The name of Thomas Jeiferson, 
 Author and giver to the nation 
 Of the immortal "declaration." 
 
IN MODERN HrSTORY 27 
 
 1809 
 
 We note in eighteen hundred nine, 
 James Madison the next in line; 
 True to himself, whate'er his ground, 
 ^' State rights" in him a champion found. 
 
 1817 
 
 In eighteen hundred seventeen 
 The name of James Monroe is seen; 
 The "Monroe doctrine" bars invasion. 
 We tolerate no foreign nation. 
 
28 IN MODEKN HISTORY 
 
 [825 
 
 We see in eighteen twenty-five 
 John Qniney Adams next arrive, 
 Inheriting his father's fire, 
 The ''worthy son of such a sire." 
 
 1829 
 
 In eighteen hundred twenty-nine 
 BUift" Andrew Jackson wheels in Hne, 
 And for the party watchword toils, 
 That ^''to the victor come the spoils." 
 
 *Jackson established the principle of rotation in office. 
 
IN MODERN H [STORY 29 
 
 1837 
 
 When next in eighteen thirty-seven 
 Martin Van Bnren's call was given, 
 Financial panic o'er the land 
 Spread its dark pall on every hand. 
 
 184I 
 
 In eighteen hundred forty-one 
 
 Came William Henry Harrison, 
 
 For one short month the nation's head, 
 
 Then sadly laid among the dead. 
 
30 IN MODKKN HISTORY 
 
 184I 
 
 Vice President John Tyler then 
 The vacant office filled again, 
 While "Dorr's rebellion's" futile strife 
 In fair Rhode Island sprang to life. 
 
 1845 
 
 In eighteen forty-five, the name 
 Of James Iv. Polk the records claim, 
 While strife began, and blood to flow, 
 On battle fields of Mexico. 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY 31 
 
 1849 
 
 111 eighteen hundred forty-nine 
 The fight was fierce on party line, 
 Bold Zachary Taylor won the day, 
 The hero brave of Monterey. 
 
 1849 
 
 Again the shaft of death was sped, 
 Again the nation mourned its head. 
 Then Millard Fillmore placed in power, 
 While slavery's discord jarred the hour. 
 
32 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1853 
 
 In eighteen hundred fifty-three 
 
 The name of Franklhi Pierce we see; 
 
 Japan, in his administration, 
 
 Two ports first opened to our nation. 
 
 1857 
 
 The choice of James Buchanan given 
 In eighteen hundred fifty-seven, 
 Recalls the famed ''Dred Scott decision," 
 When slavery blurred our moral vision. 
 
IN MODERN HISTORY 33 
 
 1 86 1 
 
 In eighteen sixty-one, the name 
 Of Abraham Lincoln next we claim, 
 He proved the country's guiding star. 
 Our pilot through the "civil war," 
 
 With loyal heart he sought to bear 
 The burden of a nation's care, 
 Then fell by the assassin's hand, 
 While mourning voices filled the land. 
 
34 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 Our "Ship of state" no tide may whelm, 
 Next Andrew Johnson took the helm, 
 And saw, in his administration, 
 Alaska added to the nation. 
 
 1869 
 
 To guide the peace his valor won 
 The nation called her warrior son, 
 And placed in eighteen sixty-nine, 
 The name of ^Grant upon the line. 
 
 ♦Ulysses S. Grant. 
 
IX MODERN HISTORY 35 
 
 1877 
 
 The choice in eighteen seventy-seven 
 To Ruthei'ford B Hayes was given; 
 While o'er the ' Soiitli" spread consternation 
 At yellow fever's dread invasion. 
 
 1S81 
 
 The pi-ize in eighteen eighty-one 
 
 By James A. Garfield next was won, 
 
 But soon by mad assassin slain, 
 
 We mourned our martyred head again 
 
30 CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 1885 
 
 In eighteen eighty-five, the vote 
 For Grover Cleveland then we jiote, 
 And northern heart with Southern blent, 
 When earthquake shock fair Charleston i-ent. 
 
 1889 
 
 Benjamin Harrison in line 
 Comes next in eighteen eighty-nine, 
 While labor strike and cholera scare 
 With threatening murmurs filled the air. 
 
IX MODEKN HISTORY 37 
 
 1893 
 
 In eighteen ninety-three's campaign 
 Is Grover Clevekmd called again, 
 While far and wide, on every hand, 
 The "World's Fair" voices fill the land 
 
 Chicago, in white robe arrayed. 
 On all the earth has tribute laid, 
 And wealth of art, and classic lore, 
 Has piled upon her lake washed shore. 
 
l\S CHRONOLOGICAL RHYMES 
 
 Thus far the presidential scroll 
 Its records clear to us unroll, 
 Somewhere, ^within the nation's bound, 
 Our coming leaders will be found, 
 And Time, with his unerring pen, 
 Each new inscription trace again. 
 
 ♦The Constitution requires the President to be a "natural 
 born citizen" of the United States.