In 1814 Francis Scott Key was on board an American ship behind the British fleet as it bombarded Fort McHenry. They viewed the bombardment from about 8 miles away. After the bombardment, the American Flag was still flying. This inspired key to write our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.

Read about Francis Scott key at http://www.nps.gov/fomc/tguide/Lesson9a.htm. He was born in Maryland to a wealthy family. He was practicing law at the time of the bombardment. The reason he was in the harbor was to gain release from the British Dr. William Beanes, his client and close friend.

A religious man, he once decided to leave the law for the ministry. He was against the war of 1812 but he put aside his concerns and served briefly in the field artillery.

Key had written an earlier poem entitled When the Warrior Returns in 1806. The "Warriors" were those that fought the Barbary Pirates. (See http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anacron2.html) He put this to song by using an old English drinking song called To Anacreon in Heaven. When he wrote The Star Spangled Banner he put it to the same tune.

Anacreon was a Greek lyric poet that lived in the Fifth Century B.C. The Anacreontic Society was a popular gentlemens club in London. You can see a copy of the song at http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anacreon.html.