Like so many famous songs of yore, "The Star-Spangled Banner" started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812.

George Armistead to make a flag for Fort McHenry. This flag, which measured 30 feet by 42 feet, was the original ...

Re “Remove ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ as national anthem ... the British sent a downpour of shells and rockets on Fort McHenry for 25 hours in September 1814. Francis Scott Key was in ...

On the morning of September 13, 1814, the British navy attacked the fort for 25 hours. Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment from a ship in Baltimore harbor and expressed his gratitude and ...

The first verse of the poem, Defence of Fort M'Henry, later became known as the lyrics of The Star-Spangled Banner, which officially became the national anthem of the United States in 1931.