This Day in History,March 3,1931 "The Star-Spangled Banner" becomes the official national anthem

3/3/06 | Francis Scott Key

[mdittmar]

President Herbert Hoover signs a congressional act making "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official national anthem of the United States.

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key composed the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner" after witnessing the massive overnight British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Maryland during the War of 1812. Key, an American lawyer, watched the siege while under detainment on a British ship and penned the famous words after observing with awe that Fort McHenry's flag survived the 1,800-bomb assault.

After circulating as a handbill, the patriotic lyrics were published in a Baltimore newspaper on September 20, 1814. Key's words were later set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven," a popular English song. Throughout the 19th century, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was regarded as the national anthem by most branches of the U.S. armed forces and other groups, but it was not until 1916, and the signing of an executive order by President Woodrow Wilson, that it was formally designated as such. In March 1931, Congress passed an act confirming Wilson's presidential order, and on March 3 President Hoover signed it into law.

[mdittmar]

The original Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the song that would become our national anthem, is among the most treasured artifacts in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History (click to listen)

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more? Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation; 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 it 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!

Francis Scott Key (1779 - 1843)

[mdittmar]

Ping

[jla]

Terrific post! And thanks for including the poem in it's entirety.
Ironic though, (or maybe befitting), that Mr. Key's poem was put to the music of an English song.
Regardless, I love our national anthem. We are truly fortunate to live in the greatest country in the history of this world.

[Young Werther]

I was attending the air flight prep school at Ellsworth AFB in 1960 so that I could go flyin' on our B-52s at Minot.

First day of class I was seated next to another Capt who had a name tag said "Key". I introduced myself and then asked "Any Relation?" I was startled when he said that he was a direct descendant of FS Key!!!!

[Young Werther]

It was 1970 not 1960, but it's Friday evening and my fingers are fried!!!

[mdittmar]

I can't help but think of this song when I think of the War of 1812,my grandma use to play it when we went to visit her.

"The Battle Of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton

[FDNYRHEROES]

Things did not always go smoothly for direct descendants of Francis Scott Key...His son, Philip Barton Key was shot and killed by a US Congressman in downtown Washington, DC in 1859. Seems Philip had an illicit affair with the Congressman's wife. The Congressman's lawyer got him off the hook, using the "temporary Insanity" defense for the first time in American juris prudence. The American people were shocked and disappointed that the Congressman would indeed have his wife back...The lawyer became the Secretary of war in the Lincoln administration, The Congeressman went on to become a Civil war General, had his leg blown off at Gettysburg, reportedly had the leg saved in a glass casket full of alcohol, and would show it off to visitors to washington after the war.... Here's a link...

www.thehistorynet.com/acw/bldevildansicklessalients/