U.S. lawyer, best known as the author of the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” (Star-Spangled Banner, The)

In September 1814, after the burning of the city of Washington by the British during the War of 1812, Key was sent to the British fleet in Chesapeake Bay to secure the release of his friend William Beanes, who had been captured after the defeat of the U.S. forces at Bladensburg, Md. He was detained aboard ship during the shelling of Ft. McHenry, one of the forts that successfully defended Baltimore. During the night of the bombardment, September 13–14, Key's anxiety was at high pitch, and in the morning when he saw the American flag still flying over the fortress, he wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Released that day, he rewrote the poem in a Baltimore hotel. It was printed anonymously under the title “Defence of Fort M'Henry” and on September 20 was published by the Baltimore Patriot. Set to the tune of an English drinking song, “To Anacreon in Heaven,” it soon became popular throughout the nation. It was later adopted by the army and navy as the national anthem, and in 1931 it was officially adopted by Congress.