who made the national anthem

The national anthem of the United States, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was written by Francis Scott Key.

Who made the national anthem?

• The lyrics were written in 1814 by American lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key after he witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

• The tune comes from a pre‑existing British song called “To Anacreon in Heaven,” composed by John Stafford Smith in the late 1700s.

• The song was used informally for many years and was only made the official U.S. national anthem by Congress in 1931.

Quick Scoop

• Key originally wrote the words as a poem titled “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” inspired by seeing the U.S. flag still flying after the overnight attack.

• The poem was quickly set to Smith’s popular tune and spread through newspapers and sheet music as “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

• Over the 19th and early 20th centuries, the song became a patriotic staple—used by the Navy by 1889 and promoted by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916—before finally being adopted as the national anthem in 1931.

TL;DR: Francis Scott Key wrote the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and John Stafford Smith composed the tune it uses.

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