“The Star-Spangled Banner” “The Star-Spangled Banner” Cross-Curricular Connection Cross-Curricular Connection The War of 1812 is not the most well-known war in U.S. history, but it launched The British allowed Key and John Skinner, an agent of the U.S. government, to the most famous patriotic song of the nation. Do you know what the song is? board one of their ships lying anchored at the mouth of the Potomac River. Here’s a hint: you probably sing it at most sporting events. By now you have Officers of the British Royal Navy met with the Americans. They were polite to probably identified it—it’s “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Key and Skinner and eventually agreed to let Dr. Beane go, but on one condition: the Americans would be detained aboard the British vessel until after the Americans Board an Enemy Ship upcoming attack on Fort McHenry. The British did not want to give Key and his The Revolutionary War, which pitted the colonists against Britain, had only been companions the chance to disclose any secret information about British plans. over for a little under 20 years. The United States was still in its infancy when issues with Great Britain again became a concern for the young country. This “The Perilous Fight” time, the issues stemmed from conflicts between Great Britain and France, which Shortly before the battle began, Key, Skinner, and Beane were transferred to had negative effects on U.S. trade. To make matters worse, Great Britain another British ship on the Patapsco River, near Baltimore Harbor. This ship, the impressed, or forced, American sailors into service to work on British ships. HMS Tonnant, was guarded by British sailors to prevent the Americans from escaping. This is how it came to pass that Francis Scott Key had a front-row seat The War of 1812 began in June of that to the battle of Baltimore. He and his year, when U.S. Congress declared companions watched throughout the war on Great Britain. On September long night as the bombs exploded over 13, 1814, British launched a the fort. Before the campaign began, blistering attack on Fort McHenry in they could clearly see the American the Baltimore harbor. For 25 hours, flag flying over the fort. As the bombs and shells rained down on the bombardment went on and on, fort. They lit the sky with an orange however, they wondered how long the glow and filled the air with smoke. flag could continue to wave. Anyone watching the bombardment would have doubted that Americans Watching from the deck of the British could hold out against such a ferocious ship but unable to do anything to help onslaught. Shortly before, the British Would the Americans be able to withstand his countrymen, Key was filled with had forced the Americans to retreat at the “rockets’ red glare” and “bombs bursting anxiety. As long as the booming of Bladensburg, Maryland. The British in air”? Francis Scott Key waited anxiously cannons and the explosions continued, near Baltimore harbor to find out. Francis Scott Key (1779–1843). then went on to burn the U.S. Capitol he knew the fort had not surrendered. and White House in Washington, DC. Just before daylight on September 14, an eerie silence fell upon the harbor. It After those victories over the United States, it seemed as if the British were stretched on and on. Key was now nearly sick with apprehension. Were the unstoppable. triumphant British hoisting their flag over the fort? If only he could see, but the light was still too faint. As it happened, someone was watching the siege of Fort McHenry. His name was Francis Scott Key. He had just turned 35 the month before, and he had achieved a As dawn stole across the harbor, Key strained his eyes to make out the fort. He degree of success. He had built a prosperous law practice and was held in high saw a bit of blue and red fluttering in the morning air, but he could not tell regard in his home of Washington, DC. You may wonder what a lawyer was doing exactly what it was. Was it the Union Jack, the British flag, or the Stars and in Baltimore harbor during wartime. The answer is that he was sent there on a Stripes? Key peered anxiously through his spyglass. At last, he could see clearly mission for the U.S. government. The British had captured a man named William that the American flag was still flying! Against all odds, the Americans had Beane, a prominent doctor at the time. Because Francis Scott Key was both Dr. stopped the British! Beane’s friend and a respected lawyer, Key was asked to try to convince the British to release the doctor before he came to any harm. Discovery Education Techbook © Discovery Communications, LLC 1 Discovery Education Techbook © Discovery Communications, LLC 2 “The Star-Spangled Banner” “The Star-Spangled Banner” Cross-Curricular Connection Cross-Curricular Connection Key’s relief was enormous. Overcome with emotions, he searched for any scrap of It was not until 1931 that Congress made the song the official national anthem of paper on which to record them. There, on a British ship anchored eight miles the United States. Before that time, it had been used as an anthem by the U.S. from Fort McHenry, on the back of a letter he found in his pocket, Francis Scott Army and Navy. In 1917, in the midst of World War I, it was sung at the World Key scribbled the first words of a song that today is the national anthem of the Series. Since then, it has been sung at the opening of every major sporting event. United States, “The Star-Spangled Banner”: It is also frequently played at 4th of July celebrations and other patriotic events throughout the country O say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming, Although the song is a cherished expression of patriotism, many people have Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight difficulty singing it. “The Star-Spangled Banner” requires a performer to have O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming? tremendous range because it has both very high notes and very low notes. The And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, highest pitch the song reaches is E-flat. The lowest is A-flat. At some points in the Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. song, the artist must quickly sing a low note immediately after singing a high O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave note. Because the piece is usually sung without musical accompaniment, it can be O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? hard for vocalists to find the right key. If singers begin in too high a key, they may have trouble later in the song when they come to the high notes. Key finished the song on his way to shore and wrote it out later that night at a Baltimore hotel. It is thought that he had a melody in mind as he composed those Despite its challenges, “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been tackled by many lines. A British song, called “To Anacreon in Heaven,” had become popular in the brave artists. To mention just a few, Whitney Houston, Carrie Underwood, United States. He set his words to that tune. Just six days after the battle, Francis Luther Vandross, and Beyoncé have all performed the song. Rock musician Jimi Scott Key’s song was published in the Baltimore Patriot under the title “Defence Hendrix strummed a psychedelic version on his electric guitar at Woodstock in of Fort McHenry.” Because it expressed so well the nation’s relief and pride at the 1969. And Marvin Gaye crooned a soulful rendition in 1983 at an NBA All-Star outcome of the battle, the song quickly became popular. The name was changed Game. To be done well, the song must be sung with expression. Some parts to “The Star-Spangled Banner” later that year. should be sung softly and others loudly. Still other parts should crescendo, or become gradually louder. “The Star-Spangled Banner” What is a star-spangled banner, anyway? Spangled means “covered with objects The actual flag that inspired Francis Scott Key was created at the express wish of that sparkle or glitter.” So, a star-spangled banner means a flag, or banner, that Fort McHenry’s commander, Major George Armistead. In 1813, he had ordered a is covered with sparkling stars. Key’s song has four stanzas, or verses. Each ends flag made that the British would be sure to see. Accordingly, flag-maker Mary with the line “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Young Pickersgill created a 30-foot by 42-foot banner, with each star measuring two feet across. Those were the “bright stars” that Key was able to see at a “The Star-Spangled Banner” has 42 measures, which are the notes or rests distance of eight miles. between two bar lines on a sheet of music. Each measure has three beats. The song uses a variety of musical devices, including the fermata, a term for In honor of Key’s contribution to his country, since 1949 an American flag has conducting music, which means “hold.” A conductor will stop or hold the music flown constantly over the monument in Frederick County, Maryland, that marks to highlight a particular part of the song.