Still aboard the ship, Key composed the song’s verse, capturing this moment on the back of a letter. Many people felt that the British flag would be flying above the fort by morning, but to everyone’s relief, they met the dawn and saw the American flag still flying. ![]() He was on a ship moored in Baltimore harbor and saw the impressive aerial explosions above the city. He was there to try and negotiate the release of a friend who was being held captive. ![]() The USS Constitution scored several victories over British ships during the War of 1812.Ĭoincidently, Francis Scott Key, who had previously opposed the war, was also in Baltimore. I consent to receiving emails and personalized ads. The British began their bombardment of Fort McHenry in wet and misty conditions. Things were looking difficult for the American forces, and on the evening of September 14th. The Battle of Baltimoreīaltimore was a significant seaport and became a target for the British. However, in 1814, they had regrouped, and the course of the war was beginning to turn in their favor. The British were already fighting a major war with France, and their forces were spread thin across several fronts. In the early stages of the war, the American forces had some remarkable victories. The United States declared war on Great Britain in June 1812. Consequently, the British were impeding the westward expansion of the United States. To maintain the manpower to support such a large navy, the British controversially recruited United States navy personnel into their navy. The United States declared war on Great Britain in June of 1812. At that time, the British navy was the most powerful globally. ![]() A contributing factor to the war was Great Britain’s interference with American trade using its powerful navy. The War of 1812 was primarily a conflict between the United States and the United Kingdom, although the French also impacted its outcome. There’s much more to the story behind the song, though, and many interesting facts that the ordinary American may not be aware of. It was adopted as the United States’ national anthem more than a century later. Francis Scott Key, a Maryland lawyer and slaveholder, composed ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ on September 14th, 1814.
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