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Lessons
1. Pilgrims
2. Revolution
3. Civil War
4. Anthem/Flag
5. Constitution
6. Executive
7. Legislative
8. Judicial
9. State/Local
10. 20th Century
11. Oath
12. The N-400
 

Lesson Quizzes

Lesson Four: The Anthem and the Flag



The United States Flag is red, white, and blue. The flag has 13 red and white stripes representing the 13 original colonies. There are 50 white stars on the flag representing the 50 states of the United States.

The national anthem of the United States is called The Star Spangled Banner. Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. He was a lawyer from Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1812, the United States was at war again with England. Francis Scott Key saw Fort McHenry being attacked during the night by the English. During the fighting, several times he could see the flag from the fort because of the light coming from exploding bombs. Since the flag was still waving he knew that the Americans had not lost. He was even happier to see that the flag was still waving in the morning when the sun came up. He wrote these words:

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming:
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming;
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does the star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Take the quiz!

Vocabulary Anthem: a song or hymn of praise or gladness Bursting: exploding Broad: wide Dawn: early in the morning when the sun rises Fort: a permanent army post Gallantly streaming: waving in the wind bravely O’er: over Perilous: dangerous Twilight: when the sun goes down

Learn More More Information about the Flag More about the Star Spangled Banner

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