By now you’ve probably heard the claim that America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is an expression ... the Maryland lawyer who wrote the words to the song during the ...

Like so many famous songs of yore, "The Star-Spangled Banner" started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812.

Fortunately for posterity, he did not call it Mrs. Pickersgill's flag, but referred to a "star-spangled banner." Key wrote quickly that night—in part because he already had a tune in his head ...

But his collection of fragments from the Star-Spangled Banner—one red swatch ... of asking you to send me a piece of blue,” he wrote in 1874 to Georgiana Armistead Appleton, the daughter ...

The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is a 560- mile-long land and water route which connects historic sites throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The trail follows ...