Francis Scott Key composed the "Star-Spangled Banner" as a joyful poem in response to his relief that the United States had escaped British assault. Since then, it has grown into the United States' national anthem, and it is played at official ceremonies, schools, and athletic events. The song is based on a British drinking song called "To Anacreon in Heaven."
Key wrote the poem on October 15th 1814 while sitting on his front porch in Baltimore after learning of the British attack on Fort McHenry. He originally titled his poem "The Defense of Fort M'Henry." After its success, he added an "e" to the end of the title to reflect its status as an "anthem".
Key's father was a surgeon in the U.S. Army and his family lived near Fort McHenry when it was being built for security purposes. When the war broke out, Key's father tried to get him into the army but was unable to do so because Francis was only 17 years old. However, he was able to help out by writing letters for his father who was stationed at the fort.
Instead of going to war, however, Key went to London where he met up with other American soldiers living there. He visited many places including the Tower of London where the Battle of Trafalgar took place.
Francis Scott Key writes a poem on September 14, 1814 that is eventually adapted to music and becomes America's national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," in 1931. The poem, originally titled "The Defence of Fort M'Henry," was written after Key watched the British bombardment of the Maryland fort during the War of 1812. In the poem, he imagines what it would be like if this American flag were his own personal flag, which later became the theme for Thomas Howard's painting that is now on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Key was a lawyer living in Baltimore when he wrote the poem. It was first published in the August 21, 1814 issue of the Baltimore Patriot and Evening Advertiser under the pseudonym "Franklin Gray." The poem quickly became popular and "The Star-Spangled Banner" soon after its creation went on to become America's national anthem.
In addition to being used as our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has also been used as an unofficial anthem by various groups involved in protests or rebellions against their governments. One example is the song that was sung by slaves who were freed from slavery after the Civil War began in 1861. This act of rebellion played a major role in ending slavery in the United States.
Another example is the song that was sung by women who were protesting against sexism in the U.S. military during the 1970s.
On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key writes a poem that is subsequently adapted to music and becomes America's national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," in 1931. The poem, originally titled "The Defense of Fort M'Henry," was written after Key watched the British bombardment of the Maryland fort during the War of 1812. In his poem, he described the scene as if it were taking place at another fort, which prompted its editors to change the title.
"The Star-Spangled Banner" has no set length. However, because it is used as an international symbol of freedom and democracy, many other countries have adopted it into their own national anthems.
New Brunswick first played the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada," at a hockey game in Saint John, New Brunswick, on February 13, 1980. However, because both songs consist of six verses followed by a refrain, they can be sung simultaneously without confusion.
America's founding fathers decided to write their own national anthem because they believed that no song was powerful enough to express the spirit of a nation. Since then, every citizen has been expected to know and sing the national anthem before any major sporting event.
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