Rail Fence Flags

On this day in 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the poem, Defence of Fort McHenry. It described the bombardment of Fort McHenry by ships of the British Royal Navy in Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812. His poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song. The Star-Spangled Banner, as it is more commonly known, was adopted as the national anthem of the United States of America in 1931. Before that, other songs served as official American hymns, including Hail, Columbia and My Country ‘Tis of Thee. I’d be happy to see our national anthem replaced by America the Beautiful. Not only because Star-Spangled Banner, with its one and a half octave range, is nearly impossible to sing well. I just think “amber waves of grain” and “purple mountains majesty” describe my feelings about my country better than “rockets’ red glare” and “bombs bursting in air.”