#the star-spangled banner

[rabbitcruiser]

The United States adopted The Star-Spangled Banner as its national anthem on March 3, 1931.

National Anthem Day

In the early years of the republic, there were a few popular patriotic songs, such as "Yankee Doodle" and "Hail Columbia," but there was no national anthem. Today we celebrate the "The Star-Spangled Banner," which became the official national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931. The song was inspired by a real flag and events that took place surrounding it.

The War of 1812 began in June of 1812. The United States achieved some early victories, but after France and Napoleon were defeated at Waterloo in April of 1814, the British were able to focus more on the war in the United States. After invading Washington D.C. and setting fire to The White House and Capitol in August, the British turned their attention to Baltimore, Maryland.

On September 13, Baltimore's Fort McHenry withstood a 25-hour bombardment from the British Royal Navy. Early on the morning of September 14, soldiers hoisted a large (30 x 42 feet) American flag over the fort. At the time, Francis Scott Key, an attorney who worked in Washington D.C., was on a ship in the harbor of Baltimore. He had been working to negotiate the release of Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured in an earlier battle. Although he was able to secure Beanes' release, the Americans were told they could not leave until the bombardment was over. As Key saw the flag wave over the fort, he wrote the first verse of what would become "The Star-Spangled Banner." At the time he named it "Defense of Fort M'Henry."

Sometime shortly thereafter, Key wrote three more verses. (Today just the first verse is commonly sung, with the fourth verse sometimes being used at formal occasions.) The verses were issued on a broadside by a local printer on September 17, and they were printed in two Baltimore newspapers, the Baltimore Patriot and The American, on September 20. The words were then printed by more papers along the East Coast.

Key set the verses to the tune of an English drinking song called "To Anacreon in Heaven" (also known as "The Anacreontic Song"), which was written in 1775 by John Stafford Smith and originally performed by the Anacreontic Society, a gentlemen's club in England. The song eventually became popular in the United States. Its subject, Anacreon, was an ancient Greek poet known for loving wine. Key had previously used the tune to accompany verses he had written in 1805 about American naval victories in the Barbary War. In fact, some of the wording he had used in the verses for that war were similar in nature to those in "Defense of Fort M'Henry." By one account, it was Key's brother-in-law who noticed the new verses fit the same melody, and convinced him to use it again. In October, Baltimore actor Ferdinand Durang gave the first public performance of the song, and the following month the song appeared in print under the title "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the first time.

The song gained in prominence following the Civil War, because it was about the flag and the flag was increasing as a symbol of national unity at the time. It became a staple of Fourth of July celebrations and other patriotic events. In the 1890s, the U.S. military began using it for ceremonies. In particular, it became the song of the Navy's flag raisings.

Woodrow Wilson signed an order in 1916 to make "The Star-Spangled Banner" the national anthem, but it did not become the official anthem until Congress passed a law fifteen years later. Wilson also asked the Bureau of Education to standardize the song, as there were a few different versions at the time. Five musicians worked on the song, including John Philip Sousa. The new version was first performed on December 5, 1917.

"The Star-Spangled Banner" made its major-sporting-event debut on September 5, 1918, at Chicago's Comiskey Park, during the first game of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. The United States was in World War I at the time, and there was some added emotion in the air because a bombing had taken place the day before at the Chicago Federal Building. A military band played the song during the seventh-inning stretch, and players and fans saluted. The song soon began being sung at other baseball stadiums, and then spread to other sports.

On April 15, 1929, Rep. John Linthicum (D-Md.) introduced a bill to make "The Star-Spangled Banner" the national anthem. He had previously introduced such a bill four times before, going all the way back to 1918. As part of his district was in Baltimore, some thought that he was pushing for the bill for himself and for his district more than he was doing it for patriotism and the country. The bill eventually got a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, and Linthicum presented them with a petition with 5 million signatures, which had been organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also presented them with resolutions and letters from 150 organizations and messages of support from 25 governors. The House approved the bill on April 21, 1930, and the Senate did on March 3, 1931. President Herbert Hoover signed it the same day and the "Star-Spangled Banner" became the official national anthem of the United States.

Although it has largely been looked upon as a patriotic song about freedom, it has not been without controversy. Key owned slaves for many years, including at the time when he wrote the song, which includes the line "the land of the free." He eventually freed his slaves, and his position was that slaves should return back to Africa. In recent times, some have used the song to protest racial injustice, by staying seated or kneeling when the anthem is played at sporting events. They have seen this as a patriotic gesture, while others have seen it as quite the opposite.

And what became of the actual star-spangled banner that the song was written about? The flag had been sewn by Mary Pickersgill with the help of a few others. After the battle, it was given to George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry. He died a handful of years later and his widow, Louisa, received it. It stayed in the family for many years and was rarely seen. In 1878, the Armistead's grandson, Eben Appleton, inherited the flag. He allowed it to be displayed at Baltimore's sesquicentennial in 1880, but then put it in a safety deposit box because he wanted to preserve its condition. He loaned it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1907, and donated it permanently to them in 1912, with the request that it be on display for the public. In the late 1990s, a preservation project was undertaken. The flag can be visited today at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

How to Observe National Anthem Day

There are many ways to celebrate the day:

Read, memorize, and sing "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Visit the original Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History.

Visit the home where the flag was sewn.

Explore Fort McHenry, where the flag once flew.

Read a book about the "Star-Spangled Banner," such as Marc Ferris' Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America's National Anthem or Marc Leepson's What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life.

Watch a documentary about "The Star-Spangled Banner," or watch a video about the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit.

Watch or listen to noteworthy renditions of the "Star-Spangled Banner."

If you are not from the United States, find out if your country has a national anthem, and learn about it and its history.

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[clove-pinks]

A new depiction of the bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814 by historical artist Don Troiani.

Before the attack on Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key, a Georgetown Federalist who had come to Baltimore with a volunteer artillery company, had visited the main British squadron at the mouth of the Patapsco River to secure the release of a civilian prisoner, Dr. William Beanes. The British high command had already decided to release Beanes, but the Americans were not permitted to leave until the assault on Fort McHenry was over. Key paced the deck of his truce ship all night, watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry some eight miles away. The next morning, Key noticed that the British squadron was headed his way. He also saw that the huge garrison flag (measuring 30 by 42 feet) had been run up above the fort. With this he realized that the bombardment had been a failure and that McHenry was still in American hands.

Key was so moved that he wrote a poem entitled “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” The poem was distributed as a broadside, which suggested that it could be sung to a British drinking song, “To Anacreon in Heaven.” The new song, which was later renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” appeared in newspapers up and down the coast and ultimately became the national anthem. (“The bombs bursting in air” were the British mortar shells that exploded above the fort, and “the rockets’ red glare” referred to Congreve rockets.)

— Donald R. Hickey, The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict

The original song and lyrics is worth a listen—and absolutely a party song, making it historically correct to get blasted on the 4th of July.

[originaljediinjeans]

My art: "The Star-Spangled Banner", watercolor pencil

"O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

"On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream, ’Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

"O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation! Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

~Francis Scott Key

[falseandrealultravival]

United States National Anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner)

During WW2, when Japan was fighting the USA, an official in Kagoshima Prefecture ordered his subordinates to "broadcast brave music." His subordinates chose the USA national anthem. At the time, Japan was sensitive to information from enemy countries, and although it is unclear whether this subordinate was punished, it was as if Japan had lost. The USA's song of victory had been played. And it came true.

アメリカ合衆国国歌（星条旗）

WW2で日本がUSAと戦っていたとき、鹿児島県で、役人が部下に「勇ましい音楽を放送しろ」と命令した。そこで部下が選んだのは、UＳＡ国歌だった。敵国の情報には神経質だった当時の日本、この部下が処罰されたかどうかは定かではないが、あたかも日本が負け、ＵＳＡの凱歌が演奏されたかのようだった。そしてそれは実現された。

[krispyweiss]

Alice in Stars and Stripes: Jerry Cantrell Plays National Anthem in Seattle

Freed from Alice’s chains, guitarist Jerry Cantrell played “The Star Spangled Banner” in Seattle (natch) Oct. 29 before the Seahawks beat the Cleveland Browns.

Thankfully instrumental, Cantrell’s National Anthem stayed true to the melody. It had plenty of wah, but no mucking about until the guitarist added a touch of on-stage rock ‘n’ roll to wrap the number.

“Thank you, Jerry,” the emcee said as the final note faded. And Dead Heads everywhere got excited for a moment.

11/4/23

[mimi-0007]

[silvermun]

i still think one of the funniest and weirdest things 4kids ever did was make an entire segment where a bunch characters from shows they aired sang the us national anthem

[nofatclips]

Stand for Peace by Neil Young - Director: Daryl Hannah

[rabbitcruiser]

Francis Scott Key completed his poem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” on September 16, 1814, which would become the official national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931.

[moon-x0]

Petition to rename ‘Independence Day’ ‘Captain America Day,’ reblog with your name to sign

[eretzyisrael]

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[toss-a-coin-to-your-stan-account]

listen... we didn't get "my ugly one" or the actual "dear friend" letters (the fucking episode title and "this is my... dear friend" from geralt in s2 don't count) brought over from the books to the show until s3 even though we expected them way sooner... but we still fucking got them... and geralt is finally at a point where he's being openly soft and caring about jaskier so my point is here's how "you must be insane with fear if you could think I'd leave you" can still w

[relaxedstyles]

Acoustic Jimi ...

[newwavesylviaplath]

"51st state 🇺🇸" guys the u.s.a has such a big crush on us they want us so bad omfggg it's embarrassing like chill outtttt