Key, Francis Scott (kē), 1779–1843, American poet, author of the Star-spangled Banner Star-spangled Banner, The, American national anthem, beginning, "O say can you see by the dawn's early light." The words were written by Francis Scott Key , a young Washington attorney who, during the War of 1812, sailed to the British fleet to obtain the release of
..... Click the link for more information. , b. present Carroll co., Md. A lawyer, he was U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia (1833–41). His works include The Power of Literature and Its Connection with Religion (1834) and the posthumous collection Poems (1857), which contains several hymns.

Key, Francis Scott

(born Aug. 1, 1779, Frederick county, Md., U.S.—died Jan. 11, 1843, Baltimore, Md.) U.S. lawyer, author of “The Star Spangled Banner.” After the burning of Washington, D.C., in the War of 1812 he was sent to secure the release of a friend from a British ship in Chesapeake Bay. He watched the British shelling of Fort McHenry during the night of Sept. 13–14, 1814; when he saw the U.S. flag still flying the next morning, he wrote the poem “Defense of Fort M'Henry.” Published in the Baltimore Patriot, it was later set to the tune of an English drinking song, “To Anacreon in Heaven.” The song was adopted as the U.S. national anthem in 1931.

Key, Francis Scott (1779–1843) lawyer, poet; born in Carroll County, Md. He began practicing law in 1801 and soon became a successful attorney in Georgetown, D.C. After witnessing the British attack on Fort Henry, Baltimore, in 1814—while being held in custody by the British on a boat offshore—he wrote a set of verses describing the event. Wildly popular, his lines were matched to an English tavern tune to create "The Star Spangled Banner," the unofficial national anthem until Congress formally adopted it in 1931. Key, who wrote little other poetry of note, was U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia from 1833–41.