Star-Spangled Banner, The

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Star-Spangled Banner, The. Nat. anthem of USA, officially adopted under Senate Bill in 1931 but long used as such before that. Words written by Francis Scott Key (1779–1843) of Baltimore on 15 Sept. 1814, after he had seen defence of Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, against Brit. bombardment. First appeared in Baltimore Patriot, 20 Sept. 1814. Metre of poem indicates it was written to tune of To Anacreon in Heaven by Eng. composer J. Stafford Smith which was then popular in Amer. as official song of Anacreontic socs. there.

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The Star-spangled Banner

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