Today in History: The Star Spangled Banner
Today in History–September 13–the Library of Congress features our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. On September 13, 1814 a lawyer named Francis Scott Key witnessed the British bombing Fort McHenry from Baltimore harbor and decided to write a song to commemorate what he saw. Uncover more of the story by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access learning activities and more primary sources.
Teaching resources
- Learning from the Source: The Star Spangled Banner suggested grades: K-2
- Learning from the Source: The Star Spangled Banner suggested grades: 3-5
Primary sources
- Star Spangled Banner song recordings
- Star Spangled Banner sheet music
- Star Spangled Banner image set
- Star Spangled Banner books & other texts
- Star Spangled Banner historical newspaper articles
- Star Spangled Banner legislation
Video recordings of Library events
- Poets & Patriotism: The 200th Birthday of the Star-Spangled Banner July 3, 2014
- National Anthem Remix Panel Discussion September 18, 2014
Star Spangled Banner background article
Library blog posts
- Our National Anthem In the Muse blog March 3, 2010
- First Drafts: “The Star-Spangled Banner” Library of Congress blog October 19, 2012
- Bringing the “Banner” to Light Library of Congress blog June 27, 2014
- “Ode to the Star Spangled Banner and #SSB200” In the Muse July 1, 2014
- The Birth of the “Star Spangled Banner Now See Hear! September 11, 2014
- Printing the “Star Spangled Banner” In the Muse September 15, 2014
- A Yankee Spangled Banner in the Old Town Tonight Now See Hear! blog September 25, 2014
Why the Star-Spangled Banner is Played At Sporting Events History September 25, 2017