The Star Spangled Banner Analysis

The Star- Spangled Banner: How Our National Anthem Came to Be
When dark times arose during the War of 1812 and America started losing hope, a young man wrote what is now America’s national anthem. Every now and then, a national anthem will be about a hero or a battle of freedom; however, the majority of national anthems speak of past events in their country (Georgiady and Romano 5). Americans needed a sign of hope and strength during the fight against Britain and Francis Scott Key accepted the challenge of creating that assurance. Every time an American sang Key’s song, they envisioned the banner and the representation it held of a nation in the works (Sonneborn 22). Today, the “Star-Spangled Banner” stands as a powerful anthem for the United

“‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ also stirred in Americans a new sense of patriotism. When Key wrote his poem, the United States was still a young nation. Just some 40 years earlier, Americans were subjects of the British king. They established an independent country only after defeating Britain in the Revolutionary War” (Sonneborn 20). Key’s words expressed a tale of a sea battle and an unpredictable defeat for Maryland and their untrained militia (Sonneborn 20). While in confinement, Key kept his eye on the waving flag in the sky, knowing that if there came a time when he could no longer see it, it had been lowered and the English had claimed victory of the battle (Georgiady and Romano 12). After the blaring war sounds ceased, Key was elated to see the flag still waving over the fort that he wanted to preserve his emotions by writing them down (Georgiady and Romano 17). Scott S. Sheads, a historian at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, said in reference to the anthem, “For the first time, someone put into words what the flag meant to the country. That is the birth of what we recognize today as a national icon “ (Poole). Francis Scott Key will forever be remembered as a great lyrist because of his amazing ability to inspire a nation with one