The Star Spangled Banner

OH SAY CAN YOU SEE BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT The Star Spangled Banner is the first stanza of the poem “The Defense of Fort McHenry” written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812.

WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AS THE TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING Image Source: Free non-commercial usehttps: Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the lyrics to the 'Star Spangled Banner' after he had been detained by the British and had watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore on the night of September 13-14, Unsure of the outcome of the battle he looked towards Fort Henry dreading to see the Union Jack flying over the fort. Instead, he saw the 'Star Spangled Banner' proudly flying and realized that the brave Americans had been victorious.

WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT The flag that flew over the fort was enormous. The commander of Fort Henry, Important George Armistead had commissioned Mary Pickersgill to make "a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance " The Perilous Fight was the Battle of Baltimore Image Sources : e Free non-commercial usehttp:// es/69/10/old-glory-flag-exhibit Free non- commercial use

OVER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING Through the fighting and warfare, the soldiers could still see the flag waving Image source: Free non-commercial use

AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE The "rocket's red glare" and the "bombs bursting" used alliteration to describe the cannon fire pounding from the British navy and the cannons firing from the fort (one of the ships was armed with a rocket launcher) The angry red glow from the cannon fire enabled Americans to see their Star Spangled Banner was still flying - the British had not captured the fort and hoisted the Union Jack Image source: 41/ Free non-commercial use

O’ SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE The Star-Spangled Banner was officially adopted as the National Anthem March 3, 1931 by President Herbert Hoover who signed an act into law

OVER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE The Star Spangled Banner was waving over the 'land of the free' - a reference to the fight for Independence that had resulted in freedom from the tyranny of the British The 'home of the brave' lyrics reflect the heroic exploits of Americans to defend their country Image source: Free non-commercial use

Sources of Information: lyrics.htm Free non-commercial use