Francis Scott Key was serving in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 and witnessed a British attack on Fort McHenry. On the morning of Sept. 14, Key saw that the American flag was still flying high over the fort. So moved by what he witnessed, he wrote a poem called “The Star-Spangled Banner” that became an anthem for U.S. troops. It’s now recognized as the national anthem of the United States. In the early 1900s, there were several different versions of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” To make it official, the government hired five musicians to create a standard version of it. In 1917, this song was performed for the first time by John Philip Sousa and four other musicians.

National Anthem Day is celebrated on March 3!

“The Star Spangled Banner” became the national anthem of the United States of America on March 3rd, 1931.