During the month of September, in 1814, an American lawyer named

During the month of September, in 1814, an American lawyer named Francis Scott Key was
aboard a British war ship in Baltimore Harbor during the war of 1812. Francis had boarded the
ship to negotiate the release of one of his friends, Dr. William Beanes, who was being held
captive on the ship. After the negotiations took place the British would not let Mr. Key return
to land. The British were about to start bombing Fort McHenry, and would not let Francis leave
for fear he would warn his fellow Americans of the upcoming attack. Francis Scott Key had to
wait and watch in horror as his British captors spent all night bombing the American fort and
trying to destroy the American flag. When morning finally arrived the American flag was still
flapping in the breeze. The cannons of 19 ships raining bombs on the fort for over 24 hours
straight could not down the American flag that was waving on Americas blessed shores, or
dampen the American spirit. As the sun began to rise over the harbor an astonished and
relieved Francis Scott Key wrote a poem about the event as he was waiting to be released by
the British. You may be familiar with the first verse of this poem.

O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming;

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through 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?
This poem became very popular and was soon set to music. On this day in history, March 3rd
,
1931, 94 years ago today, President Herbert Hoover signed into law an act that had been
passed by congress. This new law made the Star Spangled Banner the official anthem of the
United States of America.