Like so many famous songs of yore, "The Star-Spangled Banner" started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” was composed by Francis Scott Key, a Maryland attorney ... was backed by a military band that controlled the music. Nonetheless, she managed to evoke a distinct ...

This flag, which measured 30 feet by 42 feet, was the original Star-Spangled Banner that inspired the lines of Francis Scott ...