Original subtitles

the star-spangled banner is the national anthem of the united states of america

this familiar song has a long and interesting history dating back more

than two hundred years to september of eighteen fourteen the new united states

of america barely more than twenty years old was at war once more with great

britain in a war called simply the war of eighteen twelve

war had been raging for more than a year and a half when a young american lawyer

named francis scott key was sent to a british ship the h m s minden to

negotiate the release of some american prisoners the negotiations took a long

time and because key had heard the british planning an attack on baltimore

maryland they wouldn't let him go until after the battle

on september thirteenth eighteen fourteen the british attacked fort

mchenry as francis scott key watched anxiously from a ship a few miles away

the battle was so fierce that key was worried that the british would win as

the sun set the sky turned red giving a last glimpse of the american flag as the

battle continued into the darkness the fight raged on all through the rainy

night but once the rocket's red glare and bombs bursting in air stopped

francis scott key could no longer see which flag was flying above the fort it

wasn't until morning as the early light of dawn revealed the aftermath that he

could see that the american flag still flew meaning that they had not been

defeated key was so inspired that the next day he wrote a poem on the back of

a letter he had in his pocket and on september sixteenth he was released in

baltimore where he completed his poem.

It was originally titled Defense of Fort Mahenry, and was printed in newspapers

from Georgia to New Hampshire.

The poem was set to music, and various versions became popular, but it wasn't

until 1889 that the song was first adopted for official use by the Navy.

in nineteen sixteen president woodrow wilson ordered that the star-spangled

banner should be played at military occasions and president herbert hoover

signed the bill that officially adopted it as the national anthem on march

fourth nineteen thirty one although the song has four verses most americans

today are only familiar with the first verse of the star-spangled banner which

is sung everywhere from baseball games to firework displays and fourth of july

celebrations

I hope you enjoyed learning about the Star-Spangled Banner.

Goodbye till next time!