Changes

'''The Star-Spangled Banner''' is the current [[national anthem]] of the [[United States of America]]. The poem (lyrics) was written by [[Francis Scott Key]], and the melody came from an old English song.  Key wrote the lyrics while aboard the [[British]] ship HMS Minden the day after witnessing the bombardment of [[Fort McHenry]] by the British during the [[War of 1812]].

'''The Star-Spangled Banner''' is the current [[national anthem]] of the [[United States of America]]. The poem (lyrics) was written by [[Francis Scott Key]]. On 13 September 1814, during the [[War of 1812]], Key visited the [[British]] fleet in [[Chesapeake Bay]] to negotiate the release of Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured after the burning of [[Washington DC]]. The release was completed, but Key remained with the British overnight during the shelling of Fort McHenry, one of the forts defending [[Baltimore]]. In the morning, Key saw through clearing smoke an American flag still flying after the  25 hour bombardment of Fort McHenry. He wrote a poem to commemorate the occasion, noting that it should be sung to the popular British melody "To Anacreon in Heaven." In 1916, [[President]] [[Woodrow Wilson]] ordered that it be played at military and naval occasions, and in 1931 the Star-Spangled Banner became the national anthem.

[[Category:National Anthem|Star-Spangled Banner]]

 

The most commonly used section is the first verse, the words of which are:

The most commonly used section is the first verse, the words of which are:

O say, does that star spangled banner yet wave<br />  

O say, does that star spangled banner yet wave<br />  

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?