What is the National Anthem of the United States?
“The Star Spangled Banner”, was ordered played at military and naval occasions by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, but was not designated the national anthem by an Act of Congress until 1931. The words were written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, who had been inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry after a night of heavy British bombardment. The text was immediately set to a popular melody of the time, “To Anacreon in Heaven”. The National Anthem consists of four verses. On almost every occasion only the first verse is sung. More information and lyrics of the song can be found at U.S. National Anthem.
