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The Star-Spangled Banner began as a flag made for a threatened Baltimore fort. During the September 1814 attack on Fort McHenry, that flag survived the bombardment; seeing it the next morning inspired Francis Scott Key to write the lyrics that later became the U.S. national anthem. The original flag is now in Washington, D.C., while Fort McHenry in Baltimore preserves the setting of the story.
Why was a giant flag made for Fort McHenry?
In the summer of 1813, with Baltimore preparing for a possible British attack, Fort McHenry commander George Armistead commissioned two flags from Baltimore flag maker Mary Pickersgill: a large garrison flag and a smaller storm flag. Armistead wanted a banner visible from a distance. The National Park Service quotes his explanation: “That is to say, we are ready except that we have no suitable ensign to display over the Star Fort and it is my desire to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty seeing it from a distance.” National Park Service, “National Symbols, Stories & Icons”.
Pickersgill and her collaborators
The large garrison flag measured 30 by 42 feet; the storm flag measured 17 by 25 feet. The National Park Service says Pickersgill and her daughter Caroline, nieces Eliza and Margaret Young, and indentured servant Grace Wisher worked for seven weeks to complete the flags. Pickersgill’s mother, Rebecca Young, may also have helped. The flags were finished on August 19, 1813. National Park Service, “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
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What happened at Fort McHenry in 1814?
In September 1814, British forces attacked Baltimore by land and sea. Fort McHenry defended the harbor during the bombardment. The large garrison flag—rather than the smaller storm flag—is the banner Francis Scott Key saw flying over the fort on the morning of September 14, after the night’s attack. The 1814 flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes, reflecting the flag design then in use. The smaller storm flag has been lost. National Park Service, “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
As the National Park Service puts it, “The War of 1812 elevated the American flag to icon status.” The battered flag’s appearance helped make it a powerful emblem of the defense of Baltimore, not simply a military signal.
How did the flag inspire the national anthem?
Francis Scott Key, a lawyer who had gone to negotiate the release of an American prisoner, watched the bombardment from a ship in British custody. On seeing the flag still flying the next morning, he began writing a poem about the night and the sight. Its words were later set to music and became widely known as “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The lyrics’ fame came long before the song’s official status: Congress made “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national anthem by law in 1931. The Library of Congress reports that more than forty bills and joint resolutions were introduced during the twenty-year effort preceding that law. Library of Congress, “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
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The original flag and the fort illuminate different parts of the history. Choose based on whether you want to encounter the artifact itself or the place where it flew.
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| Place | Location | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| National Museum of American History | Washington, D.C. | The original Star-Spangled Banner flag is in the museum’s collection. See the Smithsonian’s Star-Spangled Banner collection page for information about the artifact. |
| Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine | Baltimore, Maryland | The historic setting, exhibits and ranger-led programs help explain the fort’s defense and the flag’s role. See the National Park Service’s Fort McHenry site. |
The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail connects related places around the Chesapeake region for visitors who want to follow a broader War of 1812 story. National Park Service, Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail.
Opening hours, fees, reservations, accessibility and transport details can change; check each institution’s current visitor information before planning a trip.
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