On September 13th, 1814, lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key was negotiating the release of American prisoners aboard a British ship when he became a prisoner, himself. Held through the night, he watched the relentless bombardment of Baltimore by land and sea, and finally, a resilient American flag flying above Fort McHenry the next morning. Inspired, Key wrote a poem that would change our culture forever. Here are 10 surprising facts about our national anthem, and the flag that inspired it.
1. The melody is set to an old English drinking tune.
Ironically, the melody of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is English—not American. The tune comes from the old drinking song, “To Anacreon in Heav’n,” the official ditty of an 18th century London men’s social club called the Anacreontic Society.
Read more: 10 Facts About the Star Spangled Banner | Reader’s Digest
