What is the title of the United States national anthem, written by Francis Scott Key in 1814?

The national anthem of the United States is titled “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics in 1814 after witnessing the American flag flying over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. The sight inspired his poem, originally titled “Defence of Fort M’Henry.”

The words were later set to the melody of “Anacreon in Heaven,” an English song associated with the Anacreontic Society. The tune was composed by John Stafford Smith. The song became increasingly popular during the 19th century and was adopted as the official national anthem in 1931.

A common mix-up is confusing the anthem with “America the Beautiful,” another patriotic American song that is not the official anthem. “The Star-Spangled Banner” has four stanzas, although public performances usually use only the first.