USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The national anthem has four verses. All four verses conclude with the same line: “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” (In 1861, poet Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote a fifth verse to support the Union cause in the Civil War and denounce “the traitor that dares to defile the flag of her stars.”)

Detailed explanation-2: -On September 14, 1814, the Battle of Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The University of Michigan’s Mark Clague corrects some common myths about our national anthem.

Detailed explanation-3: -Key’s anthem gained popularity over time, particularly among post-Reconstruction White Southerners and the military. In the early 20th Century, all but the first verse were cut-not for their racism, but for their anti-British bent.

Detailed explanation-4: -The basics 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. The stanzas recount the Battle of Baltimore, a days-long siege between British and American forces.