O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, It has been more than 200 years since Key watched the attack on the fort and wrote the song that became America’s anthem, and the flag that inspired has survived as well, being well-preserved at the National Museum of American History. The huge flag was renamed the same and became a lasting and inspiring symbol for Americans. Within weeks it became known as the “Star-Spangled Banner” and was printed in newspapers around the country. Inspired by the victory, Key immediately set out to put his thoughts into words while still on board this ship. By “the dawn’s early light” on September 14, Key realized all was not lost.
He believed the British would certainly win with such a strong attack, but as morning arrived and the smoke started to clear, he spotted the huge American flag – not the British Union Jack – flying over the fort. When night fell, Key could only see red in the sky. “It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone,” Key later wrote. On September 13, 1814, while Key watched helplessly from his ship, just eight miles away, the British warships attacked Fort McHenry with a barrage of shells and rockets. However, Key had seen the plans being made to attack Baltimore so the British, who didn’t want him warning his fellow Americans, allowed Key and his friend to return to their ship, but then kept them there until after the attack. He was able to convince the British to release his friends. Key went to the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay. In September 1814, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, found out a friend had been arrested by the British. “We, sir, are ready at Fort McHenry to defend Baltimore against invading by the enemy…except that we have no suitable ensign to display over the Star Fort, and it is my desire to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance.” This large flag ended up becoming the inspiration for the Star-Spangled Banner. He contacted the commander of Baltimore defenses to say that he needed a big flag. In 1813, Major George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, knew that his fort was probably a British target. The British attacked Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol and even the White House. The story takes place around the time of the War of 1812.
But how did the song come about and why? It’s an interesting story. Slavery ended nearly 150 years ago.The Star-Spangled Banner is a symbol of liberty for Americans and a reminder of what our ancestors have gone through to provide the liberties we have today.
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