“The Star-Spangle Banner” – Cannonball

“The Star-Spangle Banner” – Cannonball

“The Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the “Defense of Fort McHenry”, a poem written by American lawyer Francis Scott Key, from Baltimore, while waiting aboard a British warship on September 14, 1814. After he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, he, anxiously looking, saw the American flag still raised above the fort, he wrote notes for a future poem about this event. Later, he finished the poem “Defense of Fort McHenry.” On September 20, 1814, the Baltimore Patriot published “Defense of Fort McHenry.” Francis Scott Key’s brother-in-law set the poem to music, and the combined poem and music were published under the name; “The Star-Spangled Banner. After it was published, “The Star-Spangled Banner” became one of the many patriotic songs sung throughout the country. After 1889, it accompanied the flag raisings by the Navy. President Woodrow Wilson adopted the song as a de facto “national anthem” in 1916 but did not codify this ruling. Despite many objections, in 1929, “House Resolution 14” was presented to Congress to name “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the official national anthem to the United States. It was officially adopted by law on March 3, 1931, when the resolution was signed into law by President Herbert Hoover.

Provenance:
General Lee Antiques, Baltimore, MD;
Gordon Barlow, Swoope, VA