Amazing Story Behind Our National Anthem
My USA passport has an artist’s drawing of Francis Scott Key standing on a boat looking out over the waters at a waving flag. Handwritten words above it read: “O say does that star- spangled banner yet wave o’re the land of the free & home of the brave.” The story behind the writing of our national anthem is interesting and inspiring.
During The War of 1812 American volunteer forces faced Great Britain’s well-trained soldiers and the most powerful navy in the world. The British attacked Washington D.C., burning the Capitol building, the President’s house, and other buildings. Next, they hoped to capture Baltimore, an important port in America’s third largest city at the time.
When the British reached Baltimore, America’s defenses around Fort McHenry had been strengthened. Francis Scott Key, a 35-year old American lawyer, had come from Washington D.C. to Baltimore with approval of President James Madison to appeal to the British admiral to release American doctor William Beanes. Though the admiral finally agreed he said they must wait until the battle was over.
On September 13, 1814 at 7 a.m, the British began bombarding Fort McHenry and kept on for 25 hours. During the night Attorney Key and Dr..Beanes watched aboard a ship several miles away while rockets glared and bombs burst. Who would win? With “the dawn’s early light” of September 14, when the smoke of battle lifted, Key spotted the American flag flying– not the British Union Jack. The British were retreating and the fort still stood.
On the back of an envelope, Key wrote a few lines of poetry describing the scene. Later that night in his hotel room in Baltimore he finished the poem. His lyrics were soon joined with the tune of a popular English song. Before long it was being sung across the country. Congress officially declared it the national anthem of the United States on March 3,1931.
How about that flag Key saw waving? A smaller storm flag flew over Fort McHenry during the battle. But eyewitnesses said when morning came, the Great Garrison Flag went up. Measuring 30-feet by 42-feet, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, it took several men to get the 50 pound flag atop the 90-foot pole. It was made a year earlier for Major George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry. He said he wanted “a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance.”
That massive “banner” inspired Key to write his long poem—now our national anthem– 260 years ago. Here is a portion of the last verse:
“Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the pow’r that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause 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.”
Prayer: Father, thank you for giving our forefathers victory when our nation’s future hung in the balance. We are grateful for America, our beloved homeland. Amen.
Scripture: With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. (Psalm108:13 NIV).
Internet references: Department of Education; Smithsonian.org
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