Francis scott key biography video edgar

American lawyer and poet (1779–1843)

Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 – January 11, 1843)^[3] was an American lawyer, author, and poet from Frederick, Maryland, best known as the author of the text of the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner".^[4] Key observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812.

Francis scott key biography video edgar

He was inspired upon seeing the American flag still flying over the fort at dawn and wrote the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry"; it was published within a week with the suggested tune of the popular song "To Anacreon in Heaven". The song with Key's lyrics became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner" and slowly gained in popularity as an unofficial anthem, finally achieving official status as the national anthem more than a century later under President Herbert Hoover.

Key was a lawyer in Maryland and Washington, D.C. for four decades and worked on important cases, including the Burr con