23 Comments

Thank you Tara. So much of the actual history is lost because people get caught up in judging 18th Century words by 21st Century skewed standards.

Expand full comment

I tend to agree Sandy 👍

Expand full comment

There is no more beautiful thing in America than seeing the American flag waving in the wind. One of the things I love about Texas is seeing our State flag flying along with the American flag. In all of my travels through 46 States, so far none of them come close to the pride of their State as well as their Country as Texans do!

❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Expand full comment

That’s awesome! In the small city that I live in in Idaho we fly the flag proudly. A huge flag waves proudly at a local park. The mayor of the city has implemented a program to provide a flag pole to every veteran that lives in the city. There is a law on the books that makes it illegal for an HOA to disallow a resident from placing a flagpole in front of their home. We take Old Glory seriously.

Expand full comment

I have 2 fellow HS buddies and a son that live in Idaho. Your State flags still don’t fly that much. Not like Texas! 👍😃

Expand full comment

I have worked in Texas a lot. You are a proud bunch. Have always referred to it as The United State of Texas.

Expand full comment

I agree. It one of many great things about Texas. It’s a beautiful sight!

Expand full comment

Francis Scott Key is a name known by American children and everyone has heard the song sung. What most may not know is the what, when and why of the song. Thank you Tara for another history lesson.

Expand full comment

Key was a great man, later defending Sam Houston and prosecuting the man who tried to kill POTUS Andrew Jackson. I think verse 3 is about getting the Hessians too.

Expand full comment

I agree!

Expand full comment

There is a strong, small but growing movement that is actively working to “deconstruct” the USA we know and destroy our culture based in the Constitution which was so heavily influenced by Christian ideals. I see this as a major reason. However, there is another growing movement that is uniting to preserve the core of our principles as a Christian nation which prospers under equality and a concern for everyone.

Expand full comment

Seeing our Flag when I have been in stressful military locations, it is a comfort. The anthem does wonders for my soul.

Thank you Tara for this awesome lesson on this wonderful Friday the 13th!

Expand full comment

When I visited fort Mc Henery in Baltimore harbor, I was shocked to learn the British had landed 5,000 troops for an attack on Baltimore to commence as soon as the Navy forced the surrender of the fort. The fort did not fall, the British ran low on shells, and then the army embarked to assail a different city. The battle of New Orleans was their next venture.

Expand full comment

🇺🇲 🇺🇸 🇺🇲

Expand full comment

Thanks Tara for another timely and highly appropriate story. It’s easy to criticize events of the past using present day mores. If people today were living then they would’ve used the mores of that time, that’s what Key did in 1814. People criticizing the past don’t seem to realize today will be the distant past in the future. Besides, as far as I know, verse three is not part of the national Anthem, so it’s a moot issue, a fix looking for a problem. If you ever get to Ft McHenry, you will sit through a very good presentation, followed by the opening of a curtain wall that looks out on that very large flag. It’s a sight you won’t forget.

Expand full comment

Sad to see this wonderful testament to courage of those fighting the British being pushed aside.

Expand full comment

👍👍👍

Expand full comment

Definitely a good history lesson that is very pertinent today. Thanks Tara!

Expand full comment

It’s important to know and understand the history and context of poems, songs and customs in which they were written. To jump to a conclusion is to jump to confusion. It never turns out to be true. The uproar over the word slave is based on a lack of understanding of the real meaning as used in the anthem. Some bad decisions have been made due to lack of knowledge. We’ve been to Fort McHenry. It’s rich with history and part of that is the birth of our National Anthem.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Tara.

Expand full comment
Sep 13·edited Sep 13

Controversy over Key’s role as a slaveowner, even when tempered by the court cases he sought for the rights of Blacks, such as they were, does cast a cloud over his authorship of the poem that became the National Anthem.

Expand full comment

Love this and I never knew all the details of the song but love to sing it and hear it!

Thank you so much!

Expand full comment