Need a clever ditty for a History Date--

[Alana in Canada]

You know how it goes
"In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue?"


Well, I'd like to use that as an opening line to talk about John Cabot (or Giovanni Caboto)

He sailed from England five years later (1497) and discovered Canada (or more accurately, the Maritimes).

I just want something to rhyme--not more than two lines.

I've been playing with it and playing with it but just can't come up with anything.

Is there anything already?
or can you think of something for me?
Thanks!

[OhElizabeth]

Add 5 and we're alive.

(5 +1492)

Sorry, not very good I know, lol. Is it really that important a date, or is it adequate to be able to derive it? Kids can memorize numbers if you just put them on a poster, decorate, and recite daily for a while.

[Mom to 3 Island Boys]

What about something like:

1497 was the year that John Cabot
Discovered Canada for us to inhabit


Hmmm... maybe if I think on it I can come up with something better...

[Alana in Canada]

A- for effort! Both of you.

Nah, they don't have to derive it--I just wanted something witty and clever for them to recite to their American friends someday.;)

[Eliana]

What about something like:

1497 was the year that John Cabot
Discovered Canada for us to inhabit


Hmmm... maybe if I think on it I can come up with something better...

The rhyme is nice, but the rhythm is off...

Hmmm...

In 1497 (pause) did John Cabot
Discover Canada for us to inhabit

[Penny]

John Cabot reached Newfoundland in 1497.
Grand Banks had fish from heaven.

I have 5 pages of these my kids have memorized beginning with the middle ages and extending to William and Mary (our current place in history). If you need more, let me know.

Penny

[Hoggirl]

Can you attach it here? I don't know what the "rules" are on that...or if there are any. We are starting the Middle Ages next year, and I would LOVE this!

[Penny]

Let's see if it all copies in! (I don't know how to attach anything.) This may be my only chance to contribute to the WTM board and somehow say thanks to all you brilliant women who have helped me so much.

You will notice that the 'ditties' get shorter as I get tired of all that memorizing! I now believe short and sweet may be better, but longer contains more memory tags.

Please remember: Dates are subject to controversy! For instance, I think the widely accepted date to begin the Middle Ages is 476???? All the other dates came from SOTW. The rhymes coincide with what we learned therein.

Blessings!

Penny



The end of the Ancient Times
In 410 did chime
When Rome the Visigoths ran
Thus the Middle Ages began.

In 449 Vortigern made a mistake
The Angles and Saxons his country did take.
In 485 Clovis the Frank did reign,
He made a new set of laws his country to tame.

Justinian the Byzantine Empire grew,
He and Theodora were Christians too!
They ruled in 527,
Maybe we’ll see them in heaven!

In 570 Muhammad was born
a day we shall always mourn.
Although many of his teachings seem right,
In practice they are as dark as night.

Augustine went to England in 596
with 2 Anglo boys from the slave market he picked.
He became the First Archbishop of Canterbury,
Thus the English and Christianity he did marry.

It was 711 when out of North Africa Tariq did come
To the Rock of Gibraltar and Spain was undone.
The Spanish were ruled by the Muslims for 700 years
While the Christians were left drowning in their tears.

The Muslims desired to conquer France,
But Charles the Hammer came and kicked them in the pants
During the Battle of Tours in 732
France remained Christian, Like me and you!

In 771 Charlemagne, Charles’s Grandson was known as Great
As far as teaching Christianity, Reading and Writing he was first rate!
He was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
Although the real Rome long ago did expire.

In790, after Charlemagne’s
The Vikings made their raids with bad breath.
It was 871 when Alfred the Great beat them off
and saved England from their scoff.

Vladimir the Rus, ruled Kiev in 980,
A Byzantine Princess he did marry.
He gave the Byzantine Emperor the Varangian Guard,
6000 Rus soldiers, strong and hard.


In 1000, North America was discovered by Leif, Eric’s son
While El Cid began the reconquest of Spain in 1031.
Only Granada remained in Muslim hands,
The rest of Spain became Christian lands.

The battle of Hastings was in 1066
Harold the Unfortunate got licked.
William the Conqueror from Normandy came,
And the feudal system in England reigned.

The pope called for the first crusade in 1095
“Take Jerusalem, or alive!”
After much shed Jerusalem was won,
But the crusades had just begun.

Saladin the Muslim retook Jerusalem in 1187 while close to this time,
Richard the Lion Hearted ruled England in 1189.
Richard went on a crusade,
His brother, John Lackland, miserable England made.

King John Lackland signed the Magna Charta in 1215,
This limited his powers so he couldn’t be so mean.
Genghis Khan was conquering China in 1215
Those Mongols were cruel, hard, mean, and lean.

Marco Polo went to China in 1271
He saw a lot of things and had a lot of fun.
The plague came to Europe in 1347
That sent many people straight to heaven.

Henry the V fought the Battle of Agincourt in 1415,
Shakespeare’s play about it is really keen.
Henry won, though his soldiers shoes were worn,
Continuing the damage the 100 Years War had done.

Catherine’s son, Henry the VI became king in 1422
Although he was still too young to tie his shoe.
Joan of Arc was burned in 1431
And for 22 more years the war would go on.

The Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453,
A day that should be remembered by you and me.
Thus the Middle Ages came to an end,
A time full of war, , and revenge.

There was a ray of light during the Middles Ages time,
The hope of Christ in men’s hearts did shine.
Christianity throughout Europe spread,
And many were rescued from the .


Copernicus said in 1453
“The universe orbits the sun.
That should be known to you and me.”

A stamp of letters Gutenberg fixed
To print the bible in 1456.

Ferdinand married Isabella in 1469
They united Spain
That was really fine.

In 1497, the Cape of Good Hope was rounded;
Vasco de Gama a new route to India founded.

Columbus sailed the ocean blue
in 14 hundred and 92.

Martin Luther began the reformation in 1517.
He taught belief in Jesus makes us clean.

The Aztecs were conquered in 1519.
Cortez through Tenochtilan did ream.

Magellan’s ship sailed around the world in 1520.
The voyage was long,
The sailors went hungry.

Ivan the terrible became Tsar in 1533.
He sent his dogs out to sweep away people just like me.

Elizabeth was queen of England in 1558.
All thought she was really great!

Galileo invented the telescope in 1609.
He saw Jupiter’s orbiting moons and knew Copernicus was really fine.

John Cabot reached New Foundland in 1497.
Grand Banks had fish from heaven.

Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513.
“Flowering Easter” he called it
because it was like a dream.

It was 1513 when Balboa saw the Pacific.
It was keen, really terrific.

Brenden the Navigator,
Unknown to me and you,
Legend says visited America
in 492.

Verrazano went to the New World for France around 1528.
In the Lesser Antilles, he was ate.

In 1532, to South America came Pizarro.
To the Incas, nothing but sorrow.

Jaques Cartier sailed the St. Lawrence River in 1535.
Canada it was called after the Mic Mac tribe.

de Soto became the governor of Florida and Cuba in 1528
He died at the Mississippi River Great.

Coronado searched for the Seven Cities of Cibola in 1540.
Instead the Grand Canyon was found by Cardenas’ sortie.

Cabrillo discovered California in 1543
Stepped out of his boat and got a shin owie.

Santa Fe was established by the cruel Onate.
It was 1610
Spanish and Pueblos alike dispised him.

Ribaut went to Florida for France in 1562
With the Huguenots to start a conlony new.

Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec in 1608
A God fearing French Captain not dainty about what he ate.

Renee Robert Cavalier was known as LaSalle.
He traveled the Mississippi in total.

With his cloak Raleigh charmed the Queen.
A Virginian colony was his dream.
Roanoke began in 1585.
No one was found or alive.

John Smith was a leader of Jamestown.
In 1607 it was found.

Hudson and his son went to heaven
Set a drift in 1611.

Vitus Bering explored the coast of Siberia.
He died in 1741
On a Russian expidition he had begun.

In 1771 James Cook mapped the Australian coast.
Of the Great Southern Continent England could boast.


In 1500 Charles was born a lucky boy.
His kingdoms didn’t give him joy.
In 1555 Charles gave his son Philip Spain.
The Holy Roman Empire became Ferdinand’s claim.
(Note Ferdinand was Charles’ brother)

James was Mary Queen of Scot’s son.
In 1603 his English rule had begun.
(Note: James I of England, James VI of Scotland.)

The Thirty Years war began in 1618
Caused by Ferdinand's prideful stream.

In 1620 the Mayflower set sail
with the Puritan Pilgrims ending their English travail.
John Carver, William Bradford, remember their names,
The first two governors of Plymouth Colony fame.

Charles I was executed in 1649.
He died bravely as he gave the sign.

Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector in 1653
Although he acted more like a King to me.

Charles II became King in 1660.
He kept his head and that was nifty.

Pennsylvania was begun
by William Penn in 1681.

[St. Theophan Academy]

WOW Thank you so much for this! I have been debating using the VP memory songs (which I hate) and this will give me a chance to avoid them! Anne Marie

[Kareni]

Here's the ditty my daughter composed:

One day in Fourteen Ninety-Seven, John Caboto gained his fame --
Out from England he set sail, and to the Maritimes laid claim.

Regards,
Kareni

P.S. Penny, what a great list!

[beansprouts]

Here's the ditty my daughter composed:

One day in Fourteen Ninety-Seven, John Caboto gained his fame --
Out from England he set sail, and to the Maritimes laid claim.

Regards,
Kareni

P.S. Penny, what a great list!

I think we have a winner!! :cool:

[Alana in Canada]

Indeed we have!
How wonderful.

Could you pm me your address and I'll send her a little present? (I promise, I'll lose it right after I use it!)

Thanks!

And Penny, that list is fabulous!

[Hoggirl]

nt

[St. Theophan Academy]

[QUOTE=Penny;70795]Let's see if it all copies in! (I don't know how to attach anything.) This may be my only chance to contribute to the WTM board and somehow say thanks to all you brilliant women who have helped me so much.

You will notice that the 'ditties' get shorter as I get tired of all that memorizing! I now believe short and sweet may be better, but longer contains more memory tags.

Penny - did you do this for the Ancients? I would love to see them! Anne Marie

[Kareni]

Thanks, Alana, but no present is necessary.

I'll tell her she won the virtual "prize" though!

Regards,
Kareni

[Penny]

[QUOTE=Penny;70795]Let's see if it all copies in! (I don't know how to attach anything.) This may be my only chance to contribute to the WTM board and somehow say thanks to all you brilliant women who have helped me so much.

You will notice that the 'ditties' get shorter as I get tired of all that memorizing! I now believe short and sweet may be better, but longer contains more memory tags.

Penny - did you do this for the Ancients? I would love to see them! Anne Marie

Anne Marie,

I did not do anything for the ancients. As I look through some of those poems again, they are pretty weak! Perhaps someone else will be inspired to improve upon them.

Penny

[nestof3]

How cool! Thanks

Let's see if it all copies in! (I don't know how to attach anything.) This may be my only chance to contribute to the WTM board and somehow say thanks to all you brilliant women who have helped me so much.

You will notice that the 'ditties' get shorter as I get tired of all that memorizing! I now believe short and sweet may be better, but longer contains more memory tags.

Please remember: Dates are subject to controversy! For instance, I think the widely accepted date to begin the Middle Ages is 476???? All the other dates came from SOTW. The rhymes coincide with what we learned therein.

Blessings!

Penny



The end of the Ancient Times
In 410 did chime
When Rome the Visigoths ran
Thus the Middle Ages began.

In 449 Vortigern made a mistake
The Angles and Saxons his country did take.
In 485 Clovis the Frank did reign,
He made a new set of laws his country to tame.

Justinian the Byzantine Empire grew,
He and Theodora were Christians too!
They ruled in 527,
Maybe we’ll see them in heaven!

In 570 Muhammad was born
a day we shall always mourn.
Although many of his teachings seem right,
In practice they are as dark as night.

Augustine went to England in 596
with 2 Anglo boys from the slave market he picked.
He became the First Archbishop of Canterbury,
Thus the English and Christianity he did marry.

It was 711 when out of North Africa Tariq did come
To the Rock of Gibraltar and Spain was undone.
The Spanish were ruled by the Muslims for 700 years
While the Christians were left drowning in their tears.

The Muslims desired to conquer France,
But Charles the Hammer came and kicked them in the pants
During the Battle of Tours in 732
France remained Christian, Like me and you!

In 771 Charlemagne, Charles’s Grandson was known as Great
As far as teaching Christianity, Reading and Writing he was first rate!
He was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
Although the real Rome long ago did expire.

In790, after Charlemagne’s
The Vikings made their raids with bad breath.
It was 871 when Alfred the Great beat them off
and saved England from their scoff.

Vladimir the Rus, ruled Kiev in 980,
A Byzantine Princess he did marry.
He gave the Byzantine Emperor the Varangian Guard,
6000 Rus soldiers, strong and hard.


In 1000, North America was discovered by Leif, Eric’s son
While El Cid began the reconquest of Spain in 1031.
Only Granada remained in Muslim hands,
The rest of Spain became Christian lands.

The battle of Hastings was in 1066
Harold the Unfortunate got licked.
William the Conqueror from Normandy came,
And the feudal system in England reigned.

The pope called for the first crusade in 1095
“Take Jerusalem, or alive!”
After much shed Jerusalem was won,
But the crusades had just begun.

Saladin the Muslim retook Jerusalem in 1187 while close to this time,
Richard the Lion Hearted ruled England in 1189.
Richard went on a crusade,
His brother, John Lackland, miserable England made.

King John Lackland signed the Magna Charta in 1215,
This limited his powers so he couldn’t be so mean.
Genghis Khan was conquering China in 1215
Those Mongols were cruel, hard, mean, and lean.

Marco Polo went to China in 1271
He saw a lot of things and had a lot of fun.
The plague came to Europe in 1347
That sent many people straight to heaven.

Henry the V fought the Battle of Agincourt in 1415,
Shakespeare’s play about it is really keen.
Henry won, though his soldiers shoes were worn,
Continuing the damage the 100 Years War had done.

Catherine’s son, Henry the VI became king in 1422
Although he was still too young to tie his shoe.
Joan of Arc was burned in 1431
And for 22 more years the war would go on.

The Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453,
A day that should be remembered by you and me.
Thus the Middle Ages came to an end,
A time full of war, , and revenge.

There was a ray of light during the Middles Ages time,
The hope of Christ in men’s hearts did shine.
Christianity throughout Europe spread,
And many were rescued from the .


Copernicus said in 1453
“The universe orbits the sun.
That should be known to you and me.”

A stamp of letters Gutenberg fixed
To print the bible in 1456.

Ferdinand married Isabella in 1469
They united Spain
That was really fine.

In 1497, the Cape of Good Hope was rounded;
Vasco de Gama a new route to India founded.

Columbus sailed the ocean blue
in 14 hundred and 92.

Martin Luther began the reformation in 1517.
He taught belief in Jesus makes us clean.

The Aztecs were conquered in 1519.
Cortez through Tenochtilan did ream.

Magellan’s ship sailed around the world in 1520.
The voyage was long,
The sailors went hungry.

Ivan the terrible became Tsar in 1533.
He sent his dogs out to sweep away people just like me.

Elizabeth was queen of England in 1558.
All thought she was really great!

Galileo invented the telescope in 1609.
He saw Jupiter’s orbiting moons and knew Copernicus was really fine.

John Cabot reached New Foundland in 1497.
Grand Banks had fish from heaven.

Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513.
“Flowering Easter” he called it
because it was like a dream.

It was 1513 when Balboa saw the Pacific.
It was keen, really terrific.

Brenden the Navigator,
Unknown to me and you,
Legend says visited America
in 492.

Verrazano went to the New World for France around 1528.
In the Lesser Antilles, he was ate.

In 1532, to South America came Pizarro.
To the Incas, nothing but sorrow.

Jaques Cartier sailed the St. Lawrence River in 1535.
Canada it was called after the Mic Mac tribe.

de Soto became the governor of Florida and Cuba in 1528
He died at the Mississippi River Great.

Coronado searched for the Seven Cities of Cibola in 1540.
Instead the Grand Canyon was found by Cardenas’ sortie.

Cabrillo discovered California in 1543
Stepped out of his boat and got a shin owie.

Santa Fe was established by the cruel Onate.
It was 1610
Spanish and Pueblos alike dispised him.

Ribaut went to Florida for France in 1562
With the Huguenots to start a conlony new.

Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec in 1608
A God fearing French Captain not dainty about what he ate.

Renee Robert Cavalier was known as LaSalle.
He traveled the Mississippi in total.

With his cloak Raleigh charmed the Queen.
A Virginian colony was his dream.
Roanoke began in 1585.
No one was found or alive.

John Smith was a leader of Jamestown.
In 1607 it was found.

Hudson and his son went to heaven
Set a drift in 1611.

Vitus Bering explored the coast of Siberia.
He died in 1741
On a Russian expidition he had begun.

In 1771 James Cook mapped the Australian coast.
Of the Great Southern Continent England could boast.


In 1500 Charles was born a lucky boy.
His kingdoms didn’t give him joy.
In 1555 Charles gave his son Philip Spain.
The Holy Roman Empire became Ferdinand’s claim.
(Note Ferdinand was Charles’ brother)

James was Mary Queen of Scot’s son.
In 1603 his English rule had begun.
(Note: James I of England, James VI of Scotland.)

The Thirty Years war began in 1618
Caused by Ferdinand's prideful stream.

In 1620 the Mayflower set sail
with the Puritan Pilgrims ending their English travail.
John Carver, William Bradford, remember their names,
The first two governors of Plymouth Colony fame.

Charles I was executed in 1649.
He died bravely as he gave the sign.

Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector in 1653
Although he acted more like a King to me.

Charles II became King in 1660.
He kept his head and that was nifty.

Pennsylvania was begun
by William Penn in 1681.

[Pata]

Penny, that's great, thanks for sharing!

[Snickerdoodle]

Penny, thanks for sharing!

[trisharog]

I thought I was leaving the middle ages behind this summer and moving on to early American history but we will have to pause and learn this !

Great job,

Trisha

[trisharog]

Does anyone have something like this for the roughly the time period of SOTW 3?

Thanks ,
Trisha