by Mary Tyrer

Created on: July 10, 2008   Last Updated: February 22, 2012

Who would ever have thought that our National Anthem was inspired by an old drinking song? The song was written in 1766 by John Stafford Smith. The melody and lyrics were from the song "To Anacreon in Heaven". The original version has six verses. The song was loved by colonial Americans. Robert Treat Paine wrote Revolutionary words to Adams and Liberty. The song was performed by a group of wealthy musicians called London's Anacreontic Society who disbanded in 1794 in protest when they were forbidden to perform the song and other songs for fear the group would offend the Duchess of Devonshire. The fear of their performance would be to risque' for the Duchess.

In 1812, Major George Armistead wanted an extra large flag to fly over Baltimore Harbor. Major Armistead commissioned a flag to be assembled by a Flag-maker by the name of Mary Young Pickersgill, and she and her daughter assemblede a flag that was 30' by 42' with 15 stripes and 15 stars; the flag would be the largest flag ever flown during battle.

In 1814, Washington was burned by the British army. A physician was captured at the time of this battle. His name was William Beanes and he was held in Baltimore. Beanes held a special place in the heart of President Madison. President Madison turned to Francis Scott Key to secure the physician's release. Key was successful in securing Beanes release. However, Key was not allowed to return to Baltimore. Instead he was forced to sit on a hillside with a flag of truce and watch as the battle raged, hoping to see a sign of victory. The battle lasted a very long time and all he could do was watch.

Key watched as bombshells burst in the air and fire raged during the battle, Congreve rockets flew threw the air leaving a red trail of smoke, the smell and sight of battle was heatedly being fought. At dawn, Key watched through the rain as the enormous Flag was replaced by the battle flag. The battle was over and as Key sat on the hillside he began to write of the sights and sounds of the battle and the victory he had witnessed from afar. The original version he began to write on the back of an old letter he entitled the poem, "The Defence of Fort M'Henry". Finishing the remaining four verses in a hotel room in Baltimore, he gave it to his wife who printed copies and passed them around to anyone who was interested with the new title, "The Star Spangled Banner".

The song was well known by patriots, some changing the words or the melody. In October of 1814 Carr's Music Store of Baltimore published Key's tribute of the battle he had witnessed. The "Star Spangled Banner" was a popular patriotic song throughout the 1800's. Finally, in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson gave an executive order the tune to be played at military events. In 1918, baseball was all the rage and the hymn was sung before game time.

It was not until 1931 that the unofficial National Anthem was made the official American National Anthem by an Act of Congress. Although today the song has words that are always sung, there are many versions of the lyrics dating as far back to Key himself. Only the musical theme is considered the National Anthem. During WWII is when the "Star Spangled Banner" began to be played at the beginning of every sporting event.

Reference:

American Treasures of the Library of Congress, (November, 2002). Star Spangled Banner, Retrieved July, 9, 2008
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm065.html

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