Transcript The History of the Star

The History of the
Star-Spangled Banner
• Britain had signed a Treaty to end the
Revolution in 1783. America became a
country. The British also agreed to give
up their forts and allow settlers to move
west.
• The British were fighting Napoleon and
their vast
Navy was in need of sailors.
Napoleon
Napoleon wanted to conquer Europe.
America
British forces
• In order to keep their forces strong, the
British began the process of
impressment. Impressment is rather
like kidnapping. When the British
boarded an American ship, the British
commanders would take the sailors with
them to fight on their ships.
• THIS ANGERED THE AMERICANS.
• The British also decided NOT to give
back the forts in America. Therefore, the
settlers couldn’t move west.
• THIS ANGERED THE AMERICANS
EVEN MORE.
• The British also urged the Indians to
fight the Americans. They gave the
Indians arms and money to fight.
• THIS ANGERED THE
AMERICANS EVEN MORE!!!
• America was a new country and many
did not think it could protect itself.
• Shipping was very important to the early
Americans. Business was dependent
upon shipping to other countries.
• Those that were involved in sea trade,
did not want to go to war against
Britain. They didn’t want to see trade
disrupted.
• President James Madison (Little Jemmy)
asked the Congress to declare war on
England in 1812. Many were against the
war, but Madison got Congress to sign
on and the war began.
Madison was a small man –
about 5 ft. 4 inches and
weighed about 120 pounds.
He had enormous intelligence
and was often
underestimated by others.
• WHAT were they thinking???
• The American army invaded Canada, still
a British colony, hoping to conquer this
British territory.
• The Indians joined the British and the
Americans were not prepared for the
battle.
• The Americans burned the Parliament
building in York (now known as Toronto)
and retreated.
• Meanwhile, in Europe, the British
defeated Napoleon. This left the British
free to concentrate on their war with
America.
• They came in full force; the largest, most
professional group of soldiers in the
whole world.
• They sailed towards America.
• To get revenge for the burning of York in
Canada, the British attacked Washington, D.C.
• Dolley ran for her life, but only after she had
managed to save many important historical
items, including the portrait of George
Washington, velvet curtains, and important
papers.
• Before the British burned Madison’s home,
they sat down and enjoyed the dinner Dolley
had prepared for her guests. Then they set fire
to the President’s mansion.
• Portrait of George Washington, 1799
“Our kind friend, Mr. Carroll, has
come to hasten my departure, and
is in a very bad humor with me
because I insist on waiting until the
large picture of Gen. Washington is
secured, and it requires to be
unscrewed from the wall. This
process was found to be too
tedious for these perilous
moments; I have ordered the frame
to be broken, and the canvas taken
out; it is done – and the precious
portrait placed in the hands of 2
gentlemen of New York for
safekeeping.” Dolley Madison
• After the destruction of Washington, the
British headed for Baltimore.
• Baltimore was a very important port, the
home of many American ships.
• Baltimore patriots were not going to
give up their city without a fight.
• The British called Baltimore “The City of
Pirates”.
• Baltimore today!
• Now, imagine the port filled with ships.
Houses lined the waterfront.
• Baltimore was under the command of
Major General Samuel Smith.
• Major Smith convinced the ship owners
to sink their own ships in the water.
• This turned out to be a great plan – the
British warships couldn’t come into the
harbor because of the sunken vessels.
• Baltimore also was home to Fort
McHenry.
• This fort was commanded by Major
George Armistead.
• The fort was shaped like a star, with
cannons mounted at every point.
• It was located on Baltimore Harbor.
• On September 13, 1814, the British
attack Fort McHenry.
• Fort McHenry: Star-shaped citadel
• Fort McHenry today
DID YOU KNOW?????????
• Nearly 61 percent of Americans do not
know all of the words to the Star
Spangled Banner.
• More than 70 percent of Americans
learned the Star-Spangled Banner at
school during music class.
• Among teens, 38 percent do not know
the name of our National Anthem.
• Less than 35 percent of teens can name
the author of the National Anthem.
LET’S CHANGE THIS…..
• AS FEW AS 15 PERCENT OF AMERICAN
YOUTH CAN SING THE WORDS TO THE
ANTHEM.
• O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early
light.
• What so proudly we hailed at the
twilight’s last gleaming?
• Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
through the perilous fight,
• O’er the ramparts we watched, were so
gallantly streaming!
• And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs
bursting in air.
• Gave proof through the night that our
flag was still there:
• O say does that Star-Spangled Banner
yet wave
• O’er the land of the free, and the home
of the brave?
Acknowledgements
• http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anthe
m.html (national anthem instrumental
and flag picture)
• United Streaming (Washington video clip is 2:49; Fort
McHenry video clip is 3:05)
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