Save Our History

Save Our History is The History Channel’s award-winning national campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. As part of this initiative, The History Channel produces documentaries and corresponding teaching materials for educators free of charge.

Educators can order Save Our History materials by calling toll-free 1-877-87 LEARN or by faxing the Educational Department at 212-551-1540.

The Star Spangled Banner

Hanging majestically in the entrance hallway of the National Museum of American History, the Star Spangled Banner nonetheless shows the ravages of time and the environment. In December 1998, a three-year multi-million dollar restoration of the flag began in order to preserve this symbol of American nationalism for future generations.

The History Channel is proud to be a part of the effort to restore this national treasure, and offers this special presentation which examines the history of the banner, the process of restoration, and the banner’s future.

The Star Spangled Banner would be useful for classes on American History, American Culture, Anthropology, Science and Technology, and Civics. It is appropriate for elementary school, middle school and high school.

• ambitious
• artifacts
• conservation
• curator
• embody
• expertise
• fledgling
• flotilla
• fragile
• hoist
• immortalize
• inherent
• inspirational
• perpetuate
• personable
• prestige
• privateers
• prudent
• ratified
• resonance
• reverence
• stabilize
• tether
• vigor

Discussion Questions

1. The Star Spangled Banner flew over Fort McHenry in the Baltimore harbor during the War of 1812. What were some of the causes of this war?

2. Lawyer Francis Scott Key wrote the poem that eventually became the lyrics of our national anthem. What inspired Key to write these verses?

3. The restoration process for the Star Spangled Banner will take three years and millions of dollars. Why spend so much time and money to restore the banner?

4. Discuss the origins of the banner and how it came to fly over Fort McHenry.

5. Major Armistad was the commanding officer of Fort McHenry who commissioned the banner. Why did Armistad request such a large flag?

6. Mary Pickersgill created the banners requested by Major Armistad. Describe the process Pickersgill used to make the flags. How can the efforts of Mary Pickersgill be used as a way to study and analyze women’s lives and work in American history?

7. What was the significance of the British burning down the White House in 1814?

8. Why were Americans so ill prepared for the War of 1812?

9. Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner while detained by the British navy. How did Key become a prisoner of the British?

10. Fort McHenry protected the city of Baltimore from British advances during the war. Why was the city of Baltimore so important for the Americans to defend and the British to defeat?

11. Americans obstructed the path of the British navy into the harbor. How did they do this? At what cost?

12. What did the United States gain from the War of 1812?

13. Describe and discuss the concept of an “American character.” What do you think this means? How has this “American character” changed in different times? How has it remained the same?

14. Francis Scott Key’s poem was an immediate and huge success. Why do you think his poem was so successful?

15. The Star Spangled Banner did not become America’s national anthem until 1931. How and why did this song finally become the country’s anthem?

16. The Star Spangled Banner underwent a previous restoration in the early years of the twentieth century. Discuss the “Fowler” method that was used to preserve the banner. How does this restoration affect the process of the current restoration? Discuss some of the ways in which the banner has been damaged and some of the ways the museum has tried to minimize damage to the banner. Discuss the emotional impact of the American flag in general, and the Star Spangled Banner in particular.

Extended Activities

1. Research the history of the American flag and create a poster that illustrates the evolution of the flag and some of its earlier versions.

2. Create a poster that illustrates the process of restoration that is being used to preserve the flag for future generations.

3. Write an essay about ways the American flag has been used in American history to bring the country together, and at times, to tear it apart.

Related Videos

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Air Dates

• January 12, 2001
• July 06, 2001