Which song became the official national anthem of the United States in 1931, during the long buildup to America250?

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

Francis Scott Key wrote the poem that became the song after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. The poem was first titled “Defence of Fort M'Henry.”

The words were set to the melody of “The Anacreontic Song,” written by English composer John Stafford Smith. The patriotic song gained popularity during the nineteenth century, but it was not legally designated the national anthem until the twentieth century.

Congress passed the anthem legislation on March 3, 1931, and President Herbert Hoover signed it the next day. The poem has four stanzas, although public performances usually use only the first.