Assignment 7: On This Date (Tyler Gorman)

September 13, 1814: The date of the Battle of Fort Henry during the War of 1812. This doesn't seem like a particularly important event, but it has more impact on our lives than you might think.
The Battle of Fort Henry took place in Baltimore Harbor when British forces attacked a United States fort in the middle of the night. It just so happened that a certain man by the name of Francis Scott Key was present and observed the battle aboard a ship. He famously saw the American flag continuing to fly over the fort throughout the night, which inspired him to write the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner." Many years later the words would be put to the tune of a drinking song and in 1931 it became the United States' national anthem. This has had a lasting effect on America because every sporting event held in America honors both the country and the country's victory at the Battle of Fort Henry by performing the national anthem, written on this day in 1814.