The Star-Spangled Banner

Did you know that “The Star-Spangled Banner” is our national anthem? This song has inspired millions of Americans and continues to inspire them today. But how did this song come about? The song was written by Francis Scott Key. A battle between the colonists and the British was raging at Fort McHenry. Key quickly wrote out a poem. He was inspired by the flag flying over Fort McHenry. His poem had five verses, but we only sing the first verse in the national anthem.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” did not become the national anthem right away. At first there was no music to the words. Key scribbled the words to the poem on the back of a letter and gave it its title. He brought it back to Baltimore, and it was later published in the newspaper. The words were then set to the tune of the song “To Anacreon in Heaven.”

The song did not gain in popularity for many years. “Yankee Doodle” and other songs were sung more frequently. “The Star-Spangled Banner” became more popular before the Civil War. It was officially made the national anthem in 1931. Today when this song is sung, people rise to their feet and place their right hands over their hearts to show respect for the country and for the flag.