Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the U.S. national anthem often featured in America250 celebrations.
Key wrote the poem in 1814 after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. He saw the American flag still flying over the Baltimore fort at dawn and drafted verses describing the scene. The poem was first published under the title “Defence of Fort M'Henry.”
The words were set to the melody of “Anacreon in Heaven,” an older English song associated with the Anacreontic Society. The tune was not composed specifically for the American anthem, which is why the lyricist and composer are often confused.
Congress made the song the official national anthem in 1931. Although it has four original stanzas, public performances usually use only the first.