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 a song
about the flag that later
became our national anthem.
American Ships Captured
For 4 years, ships
from England and
France were
capturing American
ships and forcing
captured American
sailors to serve in
the British Royal Navy.
America Declares War
June 18, 1812
In 1812, United
States President
James Madison
declared war
against King
George III, king of
Great Britain and
Ireland.
President James Madison
King George III
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore,
Maryland is the
site of Fort
McHenry. This
fort was used to
protect America
during the War
of 1812.
Fort McHenry and Its Flag
In 1813, Major George Armistead decided Fort
McHenry needed a very big flag so that the
British could see it from far away.
Mary Pickersgill Makes Giant
Flag for Fort McHenry
The flag was 30
feet wide and 42
feet long and
weighed over
200 pounds!
Washington D.C. Is Burning
In 1814,
President
Madison had
to leave
Washington D.C.
when British
troops burned
many buildings,
including the
White House, the
U.S. Capitol, and
the Library of
Congress.
Tornado Saves Washington, D.C.
Luckily, a
tornado put
out the fires
set by the
British and
wiped out
many British
soldiers.
The Battle of Fort McHenry
I was working as a lawyer
when President Madison
asked me to help free a
doctor who was being
held prisoner on a British
ship.
The British let the doctor
go but attacked Fort
McHenry at 6:30 a.m. on
September 13, 1814.
The Battle and the Song
The British attacked
Fort McHenry for one
whole day, but didn’t
capture it so they
gave up the fight. A
few months later, the
war ended. Seeing
the battle made me
think of a song about
the big flag at Fort
McHenry.
I Write the Song Quickly
After I returned
home, I quickly
finished my
song, which
had 4 verses.
It was printed
just a few days
after the battle
at Fort
McHenry!
I Have a Hit Song!
People really liked my song; it became a big hit!
My Song, the United States National Anthem
More than 100 years
later, The Star
Spangled Banner
became the official
song of the United
States.
Do You Know the Words to My Song?
My song has 4 verses, but only
the first verse is sung today.
Let’s learn the words!
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.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g02895 (05/10).
Slide 2: Moran, Percy. "The Star Spangled Banner." Circa 1913. Library of Congress Prints
and Photographs Division. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g06200 (05/10).
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. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a26410 (05/10).
Slide 4: "James Madison." Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
http://loc.gov/pictures/item/2003679975/ (05/10).
"His most sacred majesty George III, King of Great Britain." Library of Congress Prints and
Photographs Division. http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a10456 (05/10).
Slide 5: Folie, A.P. "Plan of the town of Baltimore and it's [sic] environs." 1792. Library of
Congress Geography and Map Division. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3844b.ct000792 (05/10).
Citations (2)
Slide 6: 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. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/93510713 (05/10).
Slide 7: “Mary Young Pickersgill (1776-1857).” Circa 1846. [MSA SC 3520-12457] Accessed
from the Maryland State Archives (05/10).
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 8: Fores, S.W., publisher. “The fall of Washington--or Maddy in full flight.” 1814. British
Cartoon Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g03115 (05/10).
Slide 9: Thompson, G., publisher. “The taking of the city of Washington in America.” 1814 Oct.
14. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g04555 (05/10).
Citations (3)
Slide 10: “Francis Scott Key, 1780-1843.” Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Division. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b00995 (05/10).
Slide 11: Bower, J. “A View of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry.” 1816.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ft._Henry_bombardement_1815.jpg (05/10).
Slide 12: Key, Francis Scott. “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Washington, D.C., 1840 Holograph
Music Division. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/uc05112x.jpg Key, Francis Scott.
“Defence of Fort McHenry.” 1814. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_of _Fort_M’Henry
(05/10)
Slide 13: Key, Francis Scott (1779-1843). "The Star-Spangled Banner.” Baltimore: Thomas
Carr, 1814. Printed sheet music. Music Division Purchase, 1941.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/vc29.1.jpg (05/10).
Slide 14: Horydczak, Theodor. “Charlotte Hall Military Academy. Marching with flags and
rifles.” Circa 1920-1950. Theodor Horydczak Collection (Library of Congress).
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/thc.5a36462 (05/10).
Slide 15: 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)) (05/10).