The Star Spangled Banner, Its History and Meaning

Learn the true story behind the writing of the poem that became our National Anthem. The presentation incorporates video, maps and an example of the flag described in the poem. The presentation sets the context under which the poem was written by describing the events leading up to the writing by Francis Scott Key and why he was inspired to write the poem. The text of the poem is discussed and related to Key's perspective of the battle so as to provide a greater understanding of the meaning of each line. The verbiage of the poem is also reviewed so that the meaning of various words no longer in common usage can be understood for insight into the message conveyed in our National Anthem. This presentation can be varied for various age groups and available time.