The Star Spangled Banner

The Story of Our National Anthem

Hello, I’m Francis Scott Key. I

have a story to tell you about

a great American flag. The

flag flew strong while British

and American soldiers fought

a battle during the War of

1812. After, I wrote lyrics for a

song about the flag that later

became our national anthem.

Francis Scott Key & The Star Spangled Banner

America Under Threat

The Americans believed

the British were encouraging

Native Americans to attack

settlements of U.S.

citizens near the western

frontier of our young nation.

Meanwhile, military ships

from England (under King

George III) and France

(under Napoleon Bonaparte)

were capturing American merchant ships; captured American sailors

were being forced to serve in the British Royal Navy.

America Declares War June 18, 1812

After four years of British attacks, United States President James Madison signed a declaration of war against King George III, king of Great Britain and Ireland.

President James Madison King George III

Baltimore, Maryland

Fort McHenry was built

to defend the city of

Baltimore, which was an

important international

seaport. When war was

declared, the people of

Baltimore knew they

would need Fort

McHenry to help protect

them.

Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry was

built in the shape of a

five-pointed star.

Ramparts, or low dirt

walls, surrounded the

fort and helped to

keep it strong.

Fort McHenry and the Flag

In the summer of 1813 Major George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry, decided the fort needed a flag that the British could see from a great distance.

Mary Pickersgill Makes Giant Flag for Fort McHenry

The flag, which had 15 stars and 15 stripes, was so big it had to be assembled on the floor of a neighboring brewery. When it was finished, the flag was 30 feet wide and 42 feet long and weighed over 200 pounds!

Washington D.C. Is Burning

In the summer of 1814, President Madison was forced to flee Washington D.C. when British troops captured the city, burning many buildings, including the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the Library of Congress.

Tornado Saves Washington, D.C.

Incredibly, a hurricane spawned a tornado, which put out fires set by the British and wiped out many British soldiers.

I was working as a lawyer when President Madison asked me to help obtain the release of my friend, a doctor being held prisoner aboard a British ship.The British released Dr. Beanes, but attacked Fort McHenry at 6:30 a.m. on September 13, 1814, as we watched helplessly from the ship.

The Battle of Fort McHenry Begins

The British bombed Fort McHenry for hours. Around noon, thunderstorms added to the noise of the battle.

As early evening, or twilight, approached, the battle continued. But the rockets’ red glare and

A Fierce Battle

the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

At dawn’s early light I saw that our flag’s broad stripes and bright stars still wove through the perilous fight. After nearly 25 hours, the British stopped the bombardment. A few months later, they surrendered the war.Seeing the battle made me think: “. . .does not such a country and such defenders deserve a song?”

The Battle Ends

While still aboard the boat, I began to write about what I had seen. Once I was back on land, I quickly drafted my song in 4 verses. It was published on September 17, 1814, just a few days after the bombardment of Fort McHenry!

My Song Is Done

My Song Becomes a Hit

Soon after, Thomas Carr’s Music Store in Baltimore published my song in sheet-music format. It instantly became a big hit!

• In 1889 the Secretary of the Navy orders that the first verse of The Star Spangled Banner be played at morning flag-raising ceremonies.

• By 1917 the song is regarded as the official national anthem by the U.S. Armed Forces.

• In 1931 Congress passes a law making The Star Spangled Banner the official national anthem of the United States.

My Song Becomes the National Anthem

My Song Is Published Again and Again

Slightly different versions of my song were published over the years and each featured a different design. What design would you create for The Star Spangled Banner? While you think about it, let’s make sure you know the words to the first verse!

Credits

COURTESY OF: This presentation was developed by the American Memory Initiative of Barat Education Foundation through the support of the United States Congress and The Library of Congress.

SPECIAL THANKS: This presentation was designed and created by the individuals listed below.

Wendy Wiegers 2005 Barat Teacher Scholar Julie Schaul Project Development DirectorJustine Braskich Community Relations ManagerMarita Decker Program DirectorJohn K. Schaul Narrator

Citations (1)

Slide 1: Dressler, William, publisher. “The Star spangled banner : national song / Stackpole, sc.” Circa 1861. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [color film copy transparency: cph 3g02895] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g02895

Slide 2: Moran, Percy. "The Star Spangled Banner." Circa 1913. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [color film copy transparency: cph 3g06200] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g06200

Slide 3: Detroit Publishing Company. "U.S.S. Constitution and H.M.S. Java." Photograph of a painting dated Dec. 23, 1812, created between 1900 and 1920. Detroit Publishing Company Photograph Collection. [det 4a26410] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a26410

Slide 4: "James Madison." Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [cph 3b34361] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b34361"His most sacred majesty George III, King of Great Britain." Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [cph 3a10456] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a10456

Slide 5: Folie, A.P. "Plan of the town of Baltimore and it's [sic] environs." 1792. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division. [g3844b ct000792] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3844b.ct000792

Slide 6: Wiegers, Dave. “Ramparts at Fort McHenry.” 2005.

Citations (2)Slide 7: Wiegers, Dave. “George Armistead.” 2005.Bufford, J.H. from a drawing by Corporal E.S. Lloyd, of Dodd's Carvers. "Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md., 1861, occupied by the 3rd Battalion of Rifles, M.V.M." Circa 1861. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [cph 3b39701] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b39701

Slide 8: “Mary Young Pickersgill (1776-1857).” Circa 1846. [MSA SC 3520-12457] Accessed from the Maryland State Archives (08/05). http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/012400/012457/html/msa12457.html

“The Star-Spangled Banner at the Boston Navy Yard.” 1873. Accessed (10/05), with permission from the American Antiquarian Society, from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History website (http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/6_thestory/gfx/6a3b_main_l.gif).

Slide 9: Fores, S.W., publisher. “The fall of Washington--or Maddy in full flight.” 1814. British Cartoon Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [cph 3g03115] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g03115

Slide 10: Thompson, G., publisher. “The taking of the city of Washington in America.” 1814 Oct. 14. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [cph 3g04555] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g04555

Citations (3)Slide 11: “Francis Scott Key, 1780-1843.” Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. [cph 3b00995] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b00995

Slide 12: Bower, J. “A View of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry.” 1816. Accessed from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (08/05). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bombardment2.jpg

Slide 13: Wiegers, Dave. “Flag at Fort McHenry.” 2005.

Slide 14: Key, Francis Scott. “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Washington, D.C., 1840 Holograph Music Division. [ML95.K49] http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/uc05112x.jpgKey, Francis Scott. “Defence of Fort McHenry.” 1814. Accessed from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (08/05). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Defence_of_Fort_M%27Henry_broadside.GIF

Slide 15: Key, Francis Scott (1779-1843). "The Star-Spangled Banner.” Baltimore: Thomas Carr, 1814. Printed sheet music. Music Division Purchase, 1941. [M 1630.3 S7 M1] http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/vc29.1.jpg

Slide 16: Horydczak, Theodor. “Charlotte Hall Military Academy. Marching with flags and rifles.” Circa 1920-1950. Theodor Horydczak Collection (Library of Congress). [thc 5a36462] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/thc.5a36462

Citations (4)Slide 17: De Marsan, H., publisher. “The star-spangled banner.” America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress. [sb40475a] http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/amss:@field(DOCID+@lit(sb40475a)) Andrews, J., publisher. “The star spangled banner. Andrews' Printer, 38 Chatham Street, N. Y.” America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress. [as113140] http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/amss:@field(DOCID+@lit(as113140)) Johnson, J.H., publisher. “Star spangled banner. J. H. Johnson, Song Publisher, ... Phila.” America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress. [cw105700 ] http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/amss:@field(DOCID+@lit(cw105700))