The Story of our Nation’s Anthem O Say, Can you See? The Story of our Nation’s Anthem

The Battle of Baltimore On Sept. 14, 1814, while being held aboard a British flagship, Francis Scott Key peered through clearing smoke to see an enormous flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British bombardment of Baltimore's Fort McHenry. The US declared war on Great Britain in 1812, partially in frustration at British restrictions on neutral trade. (Britain was still at war with France, which led to the Napoleonic wars, where much of Britain’s army and naval forces were tied up till 1814. The most famous series of attacks in the War of 1812 was a group of British attacks on Chesapeake Bay, including the infamous burning of Washington, DC. British forces burned the White House, the capitol, and many other public buildings. Of course, to the British, Washington DC was nothing. Baltimore was the 3rd largest American city—a valued seaport.  Ft. McHenry was Baltimore's major point of defense against attack by sea, under the command of Major George Armistead. The British guessed that a land assault along the eastern peninsula would have minimal resistance (as had the attack in DC), so they planned a two-pronged approach—by land and by sea.

The original “Star-Spangled Banner” A year earlier, during the summer of 1813, Armistead had commissioned a Baltimore flag maker, Mary Pickersgill, to make two flags. One was regulation size for battle; the other was a huge banner that would be visible for miles down river from the fort. Mary worked with her 13 year old daughter, 13 and 15 year old nieces, and a 13 year old indentured servant. It took around 7 weeks to assemble the two flags, which were pieced together with worsted fabric only 12-18 inches wide. Each of the 15 stars was 2 feet from point to point, each stripe was 2 feet wide. The huge 30 by 42–foot flag overwhelmed the cramped rooms of Pickersgill’s house. She moved the operation across the street to the more spacious Claggett’s brewery. There they assembled the pieces of the flag and placed fifteen cotton stars on the blue canton. She was paid $405.90, more than most people in Baltimore made in a year.

Birth of the Banner Key was inspired to write a poem, which was later set to music. On September 13, 1814, the British Navy opened fire on Ft. McHenry. The battle lasted ~25 hours, with the British unleashing shells at the rate of about 1/minute. These were crude weapons, which often misfired and burst in the air. Throughout the bombardment, Armistead’s enormous banner flew over the Fort. It was ironic, then, that Key once again was watching the destruction of an American city (he had watched the burning of the capitol from his home in Georgetown). Between the time of the attack of Washington (August) and the attack on Ft. McHenry (September), the British had taken a Baltimore doctor hostage. He was well-respected by the British, as he had tended to British wounded following the battle in Washington. However, he had also confronted British troops who were attempting to plunder his home.

The Defence of Fort McHenry Key was a gifted amateur poet and hymnist. He scribbled the initial notes for his poem on the back of a letter. Back in Baltimore, he copied the four verses onto paper.

The Defence of Fort McHenry Key’s brother-in-law took the poem to a printer, where it was printed as a “broadside.” By mid-October it had appeared in at least 19 newspapers in cities up and down the east coast.

The Poem Becomes a Song The melody to which Francis Scott Key intended his poem to be sung was the popular English tune known as "To Anacreon in Heaven." Written about 1775 by John Stafford Smith, the tune was originally the "constitutional song" of the Anacreontic Society, a gentlemen's music club in London named after the 6th-century B.C.E. Greek poet Anacreon.

The Anacreontic Song The tune became extremely popular in America, where it was used to accompany a number of songs. In fact, Key himself used the tune for his 1805 poem "When the Warrior Returns from the Battle Afar.“ The Anacreontic Society met every two weeks in London between 1766 and 1792. The meetings opened with a concert of instrumental music by the members. After supper "The Anacreontic Song" was performed as a solo.

Original Lyrics To Anacreon in Heaven, where he sat in full glee, A few sons of harmony sent a petition, That he their inspirer and patron would be; When this answer arrived from the jolly old Grecian: Voice, fiddle, and flute, no longer be mute, I'll lend you my name and inspire you to boot And besides I'll instruct you like me to intwine The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine.

The Legacy of the Star Spangled Banner Even before "The Star-Spangled Banner" became our national anthem, it helped transform the flag into a symbol of patriotism and national identity. In the early 1800s, Americans, like people in other countries, considered a national flag simply a military or naval emblem. It was used to identify ships, forts, etc. Many of the stories about the flag’s importance during the War of Independence (including the story of Betsy Ross sewing the first flag for General Washington) emerged much later, after the SSB had really become a national icon. This started to change during the war of 1812. Some people referred to the war as the “Second War of Independence” and a feeling of patriotism swept through our young nation. As the nation matured, people began to refer to the flag as a national emblem—just as they had previously identified with the bald eagle, George Washington, Lady Liberty, or other patriotic symbols. When Key declared that “our flag was still there,” he fused the physical symbol of the nation with universal feelings of patriotism, courage, and resilience. Key’s song did more than give the American flag a name; it changed the way Americans looked at their flag. It became emotionally charged.

The Flag as a National Symbol As the nation grew, people began to see the flag as an embodiment of the country’s ideals-liberty, democracy, and equality. By giving the flag a starring role in one of the most celebrated victories of the war, Francis Scott Key’s song established a new prominence for the flag as an expression of national identity, unity, and pride. And by giving it a name—that Star-Spangled Banner—Key transformed the official emblem into something familiar and evocative, a symbol that Americans could connect with and claim as their own. The flag was no longer just an emblem of the nation; it became a representation of the country’s values and the ideals for which it stands.

The Star-Spangled Banner, 1873 The flag that inspired the SSB remained an Armistead family keepsake. It was exhibited occasionally at patriotic gatherings in Baltimore but largely unknown outside of that city until the 1870s. The flag was passed to his widow, his daughter, and his Grandson during the next 90 years. During that time, the increasing popularity of Key's anthem and the American public's developing sense of national heritage transformed the Star-Spangled Banner from a family keepsake into a national treasure. While in the hands of his daughter, the flag was championed and displayed at many patriotic celebrations. When his grandson inherited it in 1878, he began to be concerned about deterioration, so he placed it in a safe deposit box in New York. In 1907 he lent the Star-Spangled Banner to the Smithsonian Institution, and in 1912 he converted the loan to a gift. Appleton donated the flag with the wish that it would always be on view to the public. Somewhere along the line, the Armistead family gave various pieces of the flag as gifts, so the actual emblem today is not complete. The Star-Spangled Banner, 1873

The Making of a National Anthem The Star Spangled Banner continued to gain popularity along with the flag, and was played at patriotic events across the nation. It was officially declared the national anthem in 1931. Play original tune---talk about spanning decades and generations, and musical genres—play Jimi Hendrix version (woodstock, 1969) Whitney Houston

The Star-Spangled Banner Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there – Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave? Francis Scott Key, September 14, 1814 Nearly two in three Americans (61%) don’t know all of the words to the Star Spangled Banner Of those who claim to know all the words, only 39 percent know what follows “whose broad stripes and bright stars” (answer:“through the perilous fight” ) 34 percent answered “were so gallantly streaming” 19 percent answered "gave proof through the night” Interestingly, of those who answered correctly, 58 percent had received at least five years of music in schools growing up Additional ABC News Poll Shows Issue Particularly Relevant Among Teens One in three (38%) don’t know the official name of National Anthem (Star-Spangled Banner) Less than 35 percent of American teens can name the author of the National Anthem (Francis Scott Key) As few as 15 percent of American youth can sing the words to the anthem from memory

Can you see today the same stars and stripes that flew yesterday? Decoding the Lyrics Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, o’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? Can you see today the same stars and stripes that flew yesterday?

Decoding the Lyrics And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. The rockets of battle did not shoot the banner down; rather, they lit it up and allowed it to shine more brightly.

Decoding the Lyrics Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave o’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave? Does that same flag still fly today over a nation of free and brave people? Are we a nation? Are we a free people?

Historical Parallels September 14, 1814 September 11, 2001 Like the battle of Ft. McHenry, September 11, 2001 changed the way Americans looked at their country. As it was in 1814, Americans were humiliated with the burning of Washington, D.C. Their triumph in Baltimore restored dignity and national pride and the Star-Spangled Banner stirred patriotism in the hearts of all Americans. After September 11, there was a renewed source of national pride again in America. Flags were flown, politicians started wearing patriotic lapel pins, and the Star-Spangled Banner was once again at the forefront. Even in places that were normally somewhat disrespectful of the song, like football games, etc., there was a sudden sense of urgency and solemnity when the anthem was played. As musicians, then, it is our privilege and our duty to set an example for the performance of the National Anthem, by demonstrating proper etiquette when the song is being played, and by accepting nothing less than our best when we are actually performing the song. September 14, 1814 September 11, 2001

Key’s question remains… Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

The Final Verse O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation! Blest with vict'ry and peace may the heav'n rescued land Praise the power that hath made and preserv'd us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto - "In God is our trust," And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Star Spangled Banner Day: September 14, 2014