The Star Spangled Banner
The Story of Our National Anthem
Francis Scott Key &
The Star Spangled Banner
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.
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.
The Battle of Fort McHenry Begins
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.
A Fierce Battle
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
the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the
night that our flag was still there.
The Battle Ends
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?”
My Song Is Done
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 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!
My Song Becomes the National Anthem
• 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 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
Julie Schaul
Justine Braskich
Marita Decker
John K. Schaul
2005 Barat Teacher Scholar
Project Development Director
Community Relations Manager
Program Director
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/msa124
57.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.jpg
Key, 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: NineteenthCentury Song Sheets, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress.
[sb40475a] http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/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/cgibin/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/cgibin/query/r?ammem/amss:@field(DOCID+@lit(cw105700))