USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The third verse is probably the most historically problematic verse. Key was a slave-owner with anti-abolitionist views, and in this verse he mentions slaves and their role in the battle – on both the American and British side. Leepson: You have to read the first three lines of this stanza together.

Detailed explanation-2: -He was a white-American slave owner, lawyer, author, and poet. Key was born to Ann Phoebe Penn Dagworthy (Charlton) and Captain John Ross Key at the family plantation Terra Rubra in what is now Carroll County, Maryland.

Detailed explanation-3: -Key most likely purchased his first enslaved person in 1800 or 1801, and by 1820 he owned six enslaved people. His family owned slaves at the time of his birth, and at least one of his children owned slaves after his death.

Detailed explanation-4: -One objection was that the tune of the “Star-Spangled Banner” was taken from the song “To Anacreon to Heaven.” This song was the theme for the Society of Anacreon, which was active between 1766-1791.