Like so many famous songs of yore, "The Star-Spangled Banner" started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812.

By now you’ve probably heard the claim that America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is an ... who wrote the words to the song during the War of 1812, was defaced with ...