Francis Scott Key: The Poet Behind the Star-Spangled Banner | Leo & Layla | PragerU Kids

foreign [Music] national anthem yep I have to memorize it for choir how'd you know you know how much Sports I watch the national anthem gets played or sung before all the games well if I get it memorized and write a good essay I can get picked to sing it before the baseball All-Star game what really yeah two kids from every Middle School choir in the area are getting picked based on singing ability having the anthem memorized and writing an essay about it if I get picked mom and dad are going to come and so are you yes well you're lighting the singing ability so we've got to get you the best essay I hear the song all the time but have no idea what it's about the words are kind of weird I know I need to read let's use the history app to go talk to who wrote it not a bad idea I want to find out who Jose is huh yeah no at the beginning Jose can you see Leo it's oh say can you see ah that makes so much more sense foreign [Music] you're welcome dear friend no I truly can't thank you enough Francis Scott being a prisoner of the British was quite harrowing you've quite possibly Saved My Life by negotiating my release if only we could save our countrymen at the fort I'm going to try to get some rest now you've been through a lot doctor try to rest easy oh hello who are you sorry to startle you sir I'm Layla I'm Leo we're here from the future and are here to learn about the national whoa what was that oh dear the attack has begun again and there's nothing I can do what attack what's going on you kids have arrived during war I am Francis Scott Key and for the last two years our young nation has fought the British on land lake and sea last month they even burned down our new capital Washington City including the Capitol building itself and the president's Mansion didn't we already beat them in the Revolutionary War yes we won our independence from Britain 31 years ago but I'm afraid we're fighting again why are we fighting them again Belle Vern Europe for years now the been locked in a massive war against their arch nemesis France who are led by their military genius Napoleon I've heard of him yes Napoleon is quite famous all over the world and since the British needed all the help they could get to defeat him first their Navy began preventing us from Trading with France and then they started kidnapping our Sailors and forcing them to fight for the British Navy that's really messed up indeed our President James Madison father of the Constitution yes well done he decided our Young Nation needed to not be bullied and stand up for herself so in 1812 we declared war on Great Britain and began the fight it doesn't sound like it's going very well so far the results have been mixed we've won some battles and we've lost some but with the recent defeat of Napoleon Britain can now focus more of its energy towards fighting us and that is what you're hearing look out at all the enemy ships here in Baltimore Harbor whoa yes over 50 ships carrying thousands of troops they've been attacking Fort McHenry for a couple days now and have plans to conquer Baltimore if they do I fear the whole war will be lost do you think we have a chance there's always a chance Fort McHenry guards the city and its 23 cannons have held off the Brits so far but think I know their plan and now that night has fallen their Victory is probable how do you know the plan I was sent out here to negotiate the release of an American prisoner and was successful but since I overheard a bit of the British plan they are not permitting me to go back to land until after the battle what's the plan as you can see the Brits have sent their five most powerful ships to fire bombs mortars and Rockets at the front of Fort McHenry this will surely result in great damage and loss of lives but I also fear it may be a diversion and smaller ships will be able to sneak around to the sides where they could drop off troops and attack by land thank you those blasts sounded different yes those are the Cannons from Fort McHenry who are fighting back come on USA I'm nervous I wish there was something we could do Leo we can use the phone to travel over to the fore and help young lady that is a brave idea you're definitely an American but it's far too late for a warning and much too dangerous for you to join in I'm afraid all the three of us can do now is watch and wait this is terrifying but also in a weird way it's kind of pretty I mean look how the flag is flying with all the explosions around it indeed beautiful under the rockets red glare and the bombs bursting in air yo no that was good poetic even it's like your brother took the words right out of my mouth I should write of this moment [Music] only I had a pen here use mine would you like paper no need I can use the back of this letter I used in The Prisoner negotiations [Music] and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air come on Fort McHenry hang in there I don't know it looks pretty rough who do you think is winning the battle there's no way to know with all the smoke it's getting harder to see but in the morning we'll know who was Victorious by which flag flies above the fort now you two get below deck and out of Harm's Way I'll call you at first light well look at that children Leo Layla who won I can't see can you see right there through the clouds and smoke by the dawn's early light there it is I see it the stars and stripes we won the battle yes we did the brave Soldiers at Fort McHenry held off the British and that glorious flag of ours who we so proudly held at last Light made it through the fight hey why are there 15 Stars and Stripes that's how many states we currently have the design will shift as different states are added to the union and seeing that Banner still waving there now ah I do believe we will win this war and our United States will continue to grow I get it that's really cool it's a good looking flag and I believe it symbolizes us well us Americans and our unique country the land of the free and the home of the brave it's like you read my mind okay Mr key we better get going me too now that the battle's over the British will allow me to return to Baltimore and I need to turn these notes into a poem bye sir hey did you get picked to sing at the All-Star Game no I'm not a good enough singer but my choir teacher did love my essay she said I really captured the experience Francis Scott Key went through as he thought up the words of the poem that were then put to music and eventually became our national anthem oh really I wonder how you got such Insight did you know the poem was first titled defense of Fort McHenry and then it was changed to The Star-Spangled Banner which is what people started calling that humongous flag that survived the battle we watched it still hangs in the national museum of American History gosh I sound like you with all these history facts every time I hear the anthem now I'll think of Francis Scott Key watching the Battle of Baltimore Harbor me too I have an all-new appreciation for the American flag and the national anthem it's cool how they're linked together I'm proud there are symbols there's a baseball game starting want to watch no I've got some homework but I'll watch The Anthem with you if you liked time traveling with us watch more of our adventures at pragerukids.com and parents don't forget to subscribe