Francis Scott Key's The Star-Spangled Banner

Many countries have patriotic songs, sung and known throughout the country. Today, sang at patriotic and sporting events, the “Star-Spangled Banner” is officially the United States of America’s national anthem. Francis Scott Key wrote the original poem in the 19th century, and “his words told of an exciting sea battle. They also celebrated a great military upset on land, one that filled all Americans with pride” (Sonneborn 20). Many factors helped influence and inspire the writing of the song. The “Star-Spangled Banner” is a powerful anthem for the United States because of the inspiration of one battle, one man, and one flag.

The Battle of Baltimore, taking place during the War of 1812, was the event that inspired the writing of the “Star-Spangled

Throughout the night, “high winds and rain lashed the city . . . as did the man-made storm of iron and sulfur” (Poole). On September 14, at 7:30 in the morning, Admiral Cochrane ended the attack and the fleet left after America successfully defended Baltimore (The Star-Spangled Banner Project), signaled by the massive flag seen flying over Fort McHenry at the battle’s end (Edwin). The Battle of Baltimore is memorable because Maryland’s untrained militia’s successful defense of Baltimore Harbor against the powerful British army was an unexpected victory for the United States (Sonneborn 20). Key began to write the “Star-Spangled Banner” to commemorate America’s unexpected and crucial victory in the war against the British (The Star-Spangled Banner Project), one of the most powerful empires at the time

Sheads, a historian at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, the flag was just a flag with no special meaning behind it before the poem (Poole). Hired under a government contract and helped by four others, Mary Pickersgill sewed two flags for the fort, a large garrison flag and a smaller storm flag (The Star-Spangled Banner Project). Made from white cotton and dyed English wool bunting, the garrison flag is later known as the Star-Spangled Banner (The Star-Spangled Banner Project). Pickersgill spent about six to eight weeks sewing the flag and delivered it to the fort on August 19, 1813, costing the government $405.90 for the garrison flag (The Star-Spangled Banner Project). The 30-foot by 42-foot flag made its inspiring appearance as it flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore (Edwin); it was still flying over the fort when the fighting ceased, damaged by bullets and shells (Georgiady and Romano 17). The flag’s presence above the fort on the morning of September 14 signaled an unexpected American victory against an empire (Poole), resulting in a turning point in the war (The Star-Spangled Banner Project). The flag inspired the “Star-Spangled Banner” because the flag was a symbol of America, and after the battle, a symbol of its victory, being memorialized in the poem (Poole).

The inspiration of one battle, one man, and one flag made the “Star-Spangled Banner” a powerful