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Article: He came, he saw, he wrote: almost 200 years have passed since a lawyer and part-time poet named Francis Scott Key had a ringside seat to one of the greatest battles in American history. When the smoke had cleared, the U.S. had defeated Great Britain in the War of 1812 and our young nation had a new anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner.".(USA Yesterday)
- Article from:
- USA TODAY
- Article date:
- July 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Society for the Advancement of Education. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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AS THE AUTHOR of our National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner," Francis Scott Key, a simple man who loved to read and write poetry while being strongly devoted to his small circle of friends, has become as closely linked to our country's history as many of our greatest past presidents.
Born Aug. 1, 1779, Key was a soft-spoken and highly intelligent youngster. During the first decade of his life, he lived with his parents on their Maryland plantation. Instead of pursuing sports, music, or dramatic ambitions like most of his young friends, he preferred to find a quiet corner where he could write poetry.
At age 10, Key was sent to St. John's Grammar ...