The Star-Spangled Banner

Author – Francis Scott Key, 1779–1843
Composer – Attributed to John Stafford Smith, 1750–1836
Meter – Irregular
Scripture Reference – 1 Peter 2:13–14
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” – 1 Peter 2:13–14

Francis Scott Key, author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was born on August 1, 1779, in Frederick, Maryland. He was the son of a respected officer who served during the American Revolution. Trained as a lawyer, Key later served as District Attorney in Georgetown, District of Columbia, for three terms. Throughout his life, he was recognized as a man of refined character and strong Christian convictions. He was also an active lay leader in the Protestant Episcopal Church, where his spiritual influence was deeply felt.

The inspiration for America’s national anthem came during the War of 1812. While British forces threatened American shores, Key was commissioned by President James Madison to negotiate the release of a friend, Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured by the British. Traveling to the mouth of the Potomac River, Key boarded a British truce vessel and successfully negotiated Beanes’s release. However, because the British were preparing to bombard Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Key and his companions were not allowed to leave until the attack was over. On the night of September 13, 1814, Key witnessed the violent assault from aboard the British ship as rockets flared and cannon fire lit the night sky.

Throughout the night, Key anxiously watched for signs that the American flag still flew above the fort, a symbol of the nation’s resistance and survival. As dawn broke, he was overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing the flag still waving—proof that Fort McHenry had held and that the United States remained unconquered. Moved by the experience, he began writing a poem on the back of a letter. After returning home, he finalized the piece and had it quickly printed and distributed in handbill form. The poem struck a deep chord with the American public, still elated by their hard-fought victory.

Within a month, the poem was published in musical form by Joseph Carr, paired with a well-known melody titled “To Anacreon in Heaven.” This tune, familiar to Americans since the 1790s, had originally been a popular British club song. Its wide twelve-note vocal range makes it challenging to sing, yet it proved to be a powerful and fitting musical setting for Key’s stirring words. While the exact composer of the melody remains uncertain, it is widely credited to John Stafford Smith, a Gloucester-born English composer who was active at Covent Garden Theater and served as conductor of the Academy of Ancient Music. Smith passed away in 1836.

The flag that inspired Key’s anthem was crafted by a fifteen-year-old girl later identified as Mrs. Sanderson, who donated it to Fort McHenry. That very flag is still preserved and on display at the Sanderson family home in Baltimore, a city that also honors Key with a statue commemorating his contribution. Though “The Star-Spangled Banner” quickly gained popularity, it was not officially adopted as the national anthem of the United States until March 3, 1931, when Congress gave it formal recognition.

The enduring impact of Key’s hymn illustrates the profound influence of sacred and patriotic music on a nation’s identity. The words of Scottish statesman Andrew Fletcher still ring true: “Give me the making of the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.” Through the providential events of a single night in 1814, Francis Scott Key left an indelible legacy—one that continues to stir the hearts of Americans to this day.