What song became the official national anthem of the United States in 1931?

“The Star-Spangled Banner” became the official national anthem of the United States in 1931.

The song’s lyrics originated as a poem called “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” written by lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814. Key had watched the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Seeing the American flag still flying over the fort inspired the poem.

The words were later set to the melody of “The Anacreontic Song,” a popular British tune composed by John Stafford Smith. The patriotic song became increasingly familiar in the United States, although “Hail, Columbia” and “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” had previously served as de facto national anthems at official occasions.

Congress passed a joint resolution making the song the national anthem on March 3, 1931. President Herbert Hoover signed it the next day. The poem has four stanzas, but public performances usually use only the first.