The National Anthem

The national anthem, or song, of the U.S. is the "Star Spangled Banner."  It was written by Francis  Scott Key and is about the U.S. flag.  He was an American who was arrested  by the English in the War of 1812, which was the  second war between England and American .  He was help captive on an English ship .  The English had already burned Washington, D.C. 

Key watched the night battle against an American fort.  He kept watching to see if the American was still flying over the fort.  In the morning ,  the flag was still there.  The Americans won the war.  He wrote this song about watching the battle from an English ship:

Oh! Say , can you see, by the downs early light, 

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad  stripes  and bright stars , through the perilous fight,

O` er the ramparts we watch  were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, the bombs  bursting in air, 

Gave proof through the night that our flag   was still there.

Oh! Say does that star –spangled banner yet wave

O'ver  the land of the free and the home of the brave?