Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 - January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer and poet. He is best known for writing a poem which later became the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States of America. Key was inspired to write it after he saw the British bombardment of Baltimore in 1814. During the war he was jailed by the British in Washington.
His mother was Ann Phoebe Penn Dagworthy (Charlton) and his father was Captain John Ross Key. He graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland in 1796.
Key became a leader of the American Colonization Society that created Liberia and freed a few if his own slaves.[verification needed] In the administration of Andrew Jackson he was the United States Attorney in Washington, D.C.He resigned as District Attorney in 1840. He kept his belief in the system of African colonization (slavery) and a strongly disagreed with it being taken apart (abolition) movement until his death.[1]
Crandall died shortly after his acquittal,[when?] at the age of 63.[2] At the Washington jail he developed pneumonia.[verification needed] He died of pleurisy at his daughters home.[2]
Related pages
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- ↑ Morley, Jefferson (July 5, 2013). "What role did the famous author of "The Star-Spangled Banner" play in the debate over American slavery?". The Globalist. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jason, Philip K.; Graves, Mark A. (2001). Encyclopedia of American war literature. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. p. 197.
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