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The Star-Spangled Banner (view source)
Revision as of 09:41, August 30, 2014
, 09:41, August 30, 2014→9/11
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?
==9/11==
== History ==
Francis Scott Key visited the [[British]] fleet in [[Chesapeake Bay]] during the [[War of 1812]]. His purpose was to obtain the release of Dr. William Beanes, whom the [[British]] had captured after invading and burning [[Washington, D.C.]].
Key was successful in his mission, but was held anyway by the [[British]] overnight during the [[British]] shelling of [[Fort McHenry]], which defended [[Baltimore]]. The [[British]] bombardment of the fort lasted a merciless 25 hours. The following morning, Key was thrilled to see a gargantuan American flag still flying despite the bombs, and he composed a poem in honor of that endurance.
He did not compose the music, which is not an original score. Instead, he simply suggested that his poem be sung to the familiar [[British]] tune, "To Anacreon in Heaven."
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that it be played at military and naval occasions, and in 1931 it became the official [[anthem]].
In the aftermath of the [[9/11]] terror attacks, many American tourists were stranded in Britain. The "Changing of the Guard" ceremony at [[Buckingham Palace]] is usually watched by several hundred onlookers, mostly tourists, who line the pavement in front of the palace to see the centuries-old tradition, which dates back to 1660.<ref>'''Graves, David''' ''Palace breaks with tradition in musical tribute'' [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/09/14/nbrit114.xml Daily telegraph, 14 September 2001]. Accessed 14 February 2008</ref> On 13 September 2001, a crowd of around 5000 people, mostly Americans, had gathered in the absence of few other focal points in the capital for the American community. In an unprecedented move, [[Elizabeth II|the Queen]] ordered the band of the Coldstream Guards to break over three centuries of tradition and to play the Star Spangled Banner as a sign of respect and solidarity. <ref>'''Kelso, Paul''' ''US anthem played at changing of the guard'' [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/sep/14/september11.usa3 The Guardian, 14 September 2001]. Accessed 14 February 2008.</ref>
In the aftermath of the [[9/11]] terror attacks, many American tourists were stranded in Britain. The "Changing of the Guard" ceremony at [[Buckingham Palace]] is usually watched by several hundred onlookers, mostly tourists, who line the pavement in front of the palace to see the centuries-old tradition, which dates back to 1660.<ref>'''Graves, David''' ''Palace breaks with tradition in musical tribute'' [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/09/14/nbrit114.xml Daily telegraph, 14 September 2001]. Accessed 14 February 2008</ref> On 13 September 2001, a crowd of around 5000 people, mostly Americans, had gathered in the absence of few other focal points in the capital for the American community. In an unprecedented move, [[Elizabeth II|the Queen]] ordered the band of the Coldstream Guards to break over three centuries of tradition and to play the Star Spangled Banner as a sign of respect and solidarity. <ref>'''Kelso, Paul''' ''US anthem played at changing of the guard'' [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/sep/14/september11.usa3 The Guardian, 14 September 2001]. Accessed 14 February 2008.</ref>