National Anthem – Easy Sheet Music in PDF

The American National Anthem is entitled “The Star-Spangled Banner”. The melody comes from a popular British song called “To Anacreon in Heaven” by John Stafford Smith. However, it was Francis Scott Key’s lyrics that transformed the melody into a patriotic American anthem. It celebrates resilience and national pride. The history of this song dates back to the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States. Francis Scott Key witnessed the Battle of Fort McHenry in Maryland. After a night of British bombardment on the fort in 1814, this American poet and lawyer saw the American flag flying over the fort. This sight inspired him to write a poem he called “The Defence of Fort M’Henry”. Later, it was set to music and became the American national anthem we know today. The song was officially adopted as the national anthem in 1931 and is often performed at sporting events, official ceremonies and patriotic occasions.