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The Star-Spangled Banner: Fact or Fiction?
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Author: Wendy Schanberger, Hereford Middle School, Baltimore County Public Schools
Grade Level: Upper Elementary/Middle
Duration: One 50-minute class period
Overview:
Baltimore stood as a key British target during the War of 1812. Starting on early September 13th 1814 and finally ending on the morning of September 14th, the British fleet attempted to sail around Fort McHenry en route to Baltimore. American troops fired the Fort's cannons hoping to halt the advance. The British cannons continued to pound the Fort until 7:30 the second morning, after which time they retreated and Major George Armistead hoisted a 42 ft. x 30 ft. American flag, sewn by Baltimore resident Mary Pickersgill. Watching the battle from aboard a British ship, American detainee Francis Scott Key wrote the poem "The Star-Spangled Banner." In this lesson students will examine primary sources concerning the bombardment of Fort McHenry in order to determine if Key's account is historically accurate.
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